Suarez seals victory with a fine individual goal
Liverpool started for the first time with Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll in the side and enjoyed another positive away day under caretaker boss Kenny Dalglish.
Dalglish’s 10 league games in charge have seen an immediate change in form, 20 points and 6 victories in the last 8 games. For a Liverpool team used to suffering regular defeats only months ago – the reds bizarrely are even starting to talk about catching Spurs in 5th and even with a close eye on Man City in 4th place.
Madness to think that only 12 weeks ago, the reds were being taunted at Anfield as potential relegation candidates by other relegation candidates.
In any case, Liverpool enjoyed their return to one of their happier hunting grounds in the Premier League. A first half penalty was a slice of luck for Liverpool at the ground where a Beachball once handed the reds defeat.
Jay Spearing was fouled just outside the box. The referee awarded a free kick but his assistant suggested the incident had taken place inside the box. The referee decided the assistant was better placed and Dirk Kuyt scored from the spot.
After the goal just on the half hour, Liverpool dominated the rest of the game. Andy Carroll almost had his debut goal. Whereas Dirk Kuyt blocked his goalbound effort on Thursday night, today it was Lee Cattermole who cleared on the line.
But there was one man who was a constant thorn in Sunderland’s side and Luis Suarez, who appears to be the world’s most dangerous footballer when on the goal line outside the box, drifted in before firing in from a tight angle.
Even his celebratory dance with Lucas failed to take the shine off a wonderful goal.
What Liverpool fans are slowly expecting of Luis Suarez is the unexpected.
Such has been Liverpool’s resurgence that there is now only 9 points from the reds in 6th to 3rd place Chelsea.
Unfortunately for the reds we are running out of games, only 8 games to go.
In January, the mainstream media mocked Liverpool fans for wanting Kenny ‘inexperienced’ Dalglish back in the hot seat. It seems, yet again, the Kop got it right.