After a first half that the Reds dominated but were held off the scoreboard, Virgil van Dijk headed home a near-perfect corner kick from Mohamed Salah as Liverpool handed Sunderland their first home EPL loss of the season with a 1-0 victory over the Black Cats. Here are the three biggest takeaways from today’s match.
Even More Goes Wrong At Right Back
Wataru Endō suffered an apparent serious knee injury in the second half when his boot got stuck in the wet pitch, and Endō’s momentum caused his leg to twist. I am no doctor, but any time a player is stretchered off, it’s not a good look.
What I do know is that the Reds could ill afford another injury, particularly at Right Back, if Endō’s injury is long-term, they are down to Joe Gomez, who played well after coming on today, and the youngster Calvin Ramsay in that spot. Mostly, I feel bad for Endō, who was finally getting a rare start in the EPL.
Records Set
With his assist today, Mohamed Salah ties the legend Steven Gerrard with 91 EPL assists. That’s the most in club history during the EPL era. Alisson made up for his poor performance vs. Man City with a clean sheet in his 250th EPL appearance for the Reds, and the captain, Virgil van Dijk, set the club record for most goals by a defender with 23. He passed Sami Hyypia for top marks in that category.
Never Count Out The Reds
Arne Slot demanded perfection from Liverpool in his pre-match press conference if they wanted to stay in the Champions League race for next season. The Reds weren’t perfect vs. Sunderland, but they did enough to grab a big three points at the Stadium of Light, something that rivals Man City and Arsenal have failed to accomplish.
It also keeps them within striking distance, just 3 points off the Top-4 on the table. This win doesn’t fix all the problems Liverpool have, but it is a good response from the club, and it shows that they are still capable of producing big results in the midst of a disappointing season.
Join the Debate: What was your biggest takeaway?
That was a "classic" away win, but it leaves us with plenty to discuss. Are you more excited about Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah breaking records, or more concerned about how the squad will cope with Wataru Endō injury?
With Joe Gomez stepping in today, do you think he’s the answer at right-back, or does Arne Slot need to dip into the market?
Drop your thoughts in the comments below-let’s talk about the match!
