Sunderland 1 - 0 Liverpool : Reds fall to comical goal again
-
Sunderland 1 Liverpool 0: Reds in freefall after Bendtner strikes again
Quick-thinking: Sunderland's Nicklas Bendtner lashes in the rebound
Take that: Sunderland's Nicklas Bendtner lashes the ball into the net
Match facts
Sunderland: Mignolet, Bardsley, O'Shea, Turner, Bridge, Larsson, Colback, Gardner, McClean, Bendtner (Wickham 83), Campbell (Vaughan 75). Subs Not Used: Gordon, Kilgallon, Meyler, Kyrgiakos, Elmohamady.
Booked: McClean.
Goals: Bendtner 56.
Liverpool: Reina, Kelly,Skrtel, Coates, Jose Enrique, Kuyt, Henderson (Downing 79), Adam (Carroll 69), Spearing, Bellamy (Gerrard 69), Suarez. Subs Not Used: Doni, Maxi, Carragher, Flanagan.
Booked: Skrtel.
Att: 41,661
Ref: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire).
It was not quite the beachball farce of 2009 that earned Sunderland a rare victory against Liverpool - but in the glossary of comical goals, Nicklas Bendtner's winner was not a bad second.
Three seasons ago Darren Bent's shot was deflected into the Liverpool net off a beachball thrown by a spectator.
This time it was more of a pinball machine effort that produced in turn cheers, groans, and finally cheers as the ball eventually found the net.
Fraizer Campbell beat Martin Skrtel outside the area; his shot evaded Pepe Reina's dive; the ball came back off a post and hit the prostrate keeper on the head; it then hit the same post a second time before Bendtner raced in to score.
Apart from the Dane's strike, the match was devoid of goalmouth action but victory maintains Martin O'Neill's astonishing renaissance.
Defeat is potentially disastrous for Kenny Dalglish's hopes of rescuing a season of some success but much bitterness by qualifying for the Champions League.
'We just need to keep going and try to get as many points on the board as we can, ' Dalglish said. 'If we get the fourth spot it will be fantastic for the club - just like winning the Carling Cup was fantastic and reaching the sixth round of the FA Cup.'
Not happy: Liverpool's Luis Suarez reacts to a referee's decision
Not happy: Liverpool's Kenny Dalglish on the touchline
Liverpool are only two points ahead of the Wearsiders, who were relegation fodder when O'Neill took charge in December, and they now lie 10 points behind a top-four slot.
It is the first time since 2003 that Liverpool have lost three successive Premier League games.
And they got what they deserved after starting with Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing on the bench alongside Steven Gerrard.
All three came on before the end as Dalglish attempted to pull a rabbit out of the hat.
Does it hurt: Sunderland's manager Martin O'Neil checks on Liverpool's Craig Bellamy
Unlucky break: Sunderland's Nicklas Bendtner is carried off injured
But the only magic came from Sunderland, without Lee Cattermole and Stephane Sessegnon through suspension, and Kieran Richardson with a calf injury.
They will miss the FA Cup quarter-final at Everton next week and Sunderland could also be without Bendtner, stretchered off near the end after a tackle by Skrtel.
'I thought it was a tremendous effort, especially being without three influential players,' said O'Neill. 'I couldn't really ask for much more.'
-
Reina should be happy that the goal is not an own goal. The ball bounce off the goal post and onto his back then onto the goal post again. That could easily end up in the back of the net after the first bounce.
-
that Bendther should stay at Sunderland -
LiverPOO did it again. You never lose alone.
-
liverpool can forget about playing CL for next season. heck, it may not finish within top 6 this season.
-
Originally posted by Jacky Woo:
liverpool can forget about playing CL for next season. heck, it may not finish within top 6 this season.
y u keep repeating the same sentence when u go a liverpool topic?