Saturday 2 February 2008 17:15 FA Barclays Premier League
"Liverpool"	3 - 0	"Sunderland"
	(0-0)
GOAL
Crouch 57, Torres 69, Gerrard 89 p.
25  Jose Reina  12  Fabio Aurelio   4  Sami Hyypia  23  Jamie Carragher  37  Martin Skrtel   8  Steven Gerrard (c)  16  Jermaine Pennant  20  Javier Mascherano  21  Lucas Leiva  10  Fernando Torres  15  Peter Crouch  Subs:  30  Charles Itandje   3  Steve Finnan  19  Ryan Babel  11  Yossi Benayoun  18  Dirk Kuyt		1  Craig Gordon  26  Phillip Bardsley   5  Nyron Nosworthy  44  Jonny Evans  15  Danny Collins  16  Michael Chopra   8  Dean Whitehead (c)  12  Liam Miller  10  Kieran Richardson  11  Daryl Murphy  17  Kenwyne Jones  Subs:  32  Marton Fulop   6  Paul McShane  39  Martyn Waghorn  45  Rade Prica  23  Roy O'Donovan
SUBSTITUTIONS
Aurelio (Finnan 46)  Leiva (Benayoun 61)  Crouch (Kuyt 83)		Richardson (Prica 7)  Prica (O'Donovan 55)  Chopra (Waghorn 83)
OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS
Referee: Rob Styles (Hampshire) Linesman: M Murphy, M Tingrayn 4th Official: A Woolmar
Booked: Finnan 84		Booked: Miller 22, Gordon 88
VENUE		MANAGERS
Anfield (capacity: 45,362) Attendance: 43,244		Rafael Benitez (Liverpool) Roy Keane (Sunderland)

  Price: J3,00

  LFC 3-0 SUNDERLAND: THE REPORT

  Liverpool have at last recorded a first league win of 2008 following a 3-0 win over Sunderland.

  Second-half goals from Peter Crouch, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard sealed the points following a truly awful opening 45 minutes.

  The result leaves Rafa Benitez's side one point behind fourth-placed Everton with a game in hand after the Toffees' draw at Ewood Park.

  The game took an age to get going. Perhaps one or two Liverpool players were taking a little time to get used to new positions. Jamie Carragher, for instance, was installed at right-back at the expense of Steve Finnan. There were more surprises in midfield, with Lucas taking up an unfamiliar position on the left.

  For their part, Sunderland, whenever they lost possession, packed men into the middle of the park. Every run and shot was being blocked before reaching Craig Gordon's goal. It took 23 minutes for an effort to get through - and then it was by Javier Mascherano, whose wait for a first Liverpool goal goes on.

  The Black Cats, remember, know all about frustrating the red half of Merseyside. You just have to think back to the winter of 2002-03 when, despite being stuck firmly at the bottom of the table, they took four points from Gerard Houllier's side.

  Back then, incidentally, the Reds' league campaign was in the process of being crippled by an 11-game winless streak. The Kop, without one of its standards due to the departure of Momo Sissoko, was praying history would not repeat itself.

  Not that they were given much hope from a frankly dire first half in which the only other chance of note fell to the head of Torres after some trickery from Jermaine Pennant.

  At the other end, Sunderland's aerial threat was being expertly handled by Martin Skrtel and Sami Hyypia - the latter Liverpool's best player by a mile during the opening 45 minutes.

  It was no surprise when Benitez shuffled his pack at the interval, replacing Fabio Aurelio with Finnan. The latter slotted in at left-back while Carragher continued down the right.

  And it was Liverpool's vice-captain who was the provider when the opener finally came on 57 minutes, bombing down the wing to pick up a loose ball before delivering a pinpoint cross to the head of Crouch. The big man made no mistake from six yards.

  Pepe Reina sprinted all the way down to the Kop end to congratulate his teammates, Carra in particular. His relief, and Anfield's, was palpable.

  From there the game, and the visiting defence, opened up. Almost immediately Torres came close with a fine turn and volley.

  Then Crouch, his confidence clearly restored, attempted one of his 'trademark' scissor kicks. Gordon parried and Gerrard pounced but his shot was deflected wide. Sunderland had to clear off the line from the resulting corner.

  A second was inevitable, and it came on 69 minutes when Torres latched on to a Crouch flick before slotting coolly past Gordon to record his 18th goal of the season.

  The Reds' true quality, which seemed to have hibernated for the winter, was returning.

  Suddenly, everything was going the home side's way. Even Rob Styles, on his first visit to Anfield since his nightmare against Chelsea, was doing his bit. He failed to spot a handball from Carragher in the same box where, earlier in the season, he appeared to be seeing things.

  Aggrieved, Sunderland hit back with a handful of chances late on, but a comeback never looked likely.

  The points were wrapped up two minutes from time with a Gerrard spot kick after Pennant was felled in the box.

  Teams

  Liverpool: Reina, Aurelio, Hyypia, Skrtel, Carragher, Gerrard (c), Leiva, Mascherano, Pennant, Crouch, Torres. Subs - Babel, Benayoun, Finnan, Itandje, Kuyt.

  Sunderland: Gordon, Nosworthy, Collins, Evans, Bardsley, Richardson, Miller, Whitehead (c), Murphy, Chopra, Jones. Subs - Fulop, McShane, O'Donovan, Prica, Waghorn.

  Referee: Rob Styles

  Conditions: Unavailable

  Attendance: Unavailable

  Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Sami Hyypia

  Breakdown

17:17 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : Sunderland kick off the match attacking the Kop end.
2 mins : Carra has started the match at right back with Lucas taking up a position on the left of midfield.
3 mins : The first sight of goal sees Nosworthy produce a fine block to deny Crouchie on the edge of the box.
4 mins : The away fans are in good voice. It would be nice to silence them with an early goal! It's not likely at the moment though as Kieran Richardson is down injured.
6 mins : Nosworthy is having a strange opening by mixing some poor play in control of the ball with some fine last-ditch tackling.
7 mins : Looks like Richardson's afternoon could be over prematurely.
7 mins : Substitution: Rade Prica for Kieran Richardson:
9 mins : It's not been the brightest of starts from either side. Sunderland look eager to play a containing game while the Reds have yet to have any sustained period of possession.
14 mins : A brilliant move that must have involved 15-20 passes ends with Sunderland keeper Gordon having to cut out Pennant's low ball in from the right hand touchline. Good play from the Reds.
14 mins : But there's danger now as a foul by Hyypia has given the away side a free-kick on the right edge of the area.
15 mins : The Reds have cleared and they now have their own free-kick just outside the area after Torres' break ends in a foul.
16 mins : Gerrard's shot is well blocked and Sunderland survive after one or two nervy clearances.
19 mins : We are coming up to the 20 minute mark and Roy Keane will be delighted with what he's seen so far. Liverpool need to inject some more pace into their build-up play.
22 mins : First Booking: Liam Miller:
22 mins : Mascherano hammers a 30 yard effort over the bar after the Black Cats fail to close him down from a short free-kick in the centre circle.
24 mins : Dean Whitehead lines up a shot from just outside the box but it is a tame effort and Reina gathers easily.
26 mins : Rob Styles has given the Reds a free-kick 30 yards from goal...
27 mins : Aurelio's low effort hits the wall. No Brazilian magic on that occasion!
30 mins : Martin Skrtel has made some impressive challenges so far today. It will no doubt do wonders for his confidence.
31 mins : Kenwyne Jones powered his way into the box but Mascherano was having none of it and pulled off a fantastic recovery tackle to deny him.
32 mins : Another delay as Jones receives some treatment in front of an unimpressed Kop.
36 mins : The visitors are beginning to grow in confidence.
37 mins : We've huffed and puffed but Gordon has so far been untroubled.
38 mins : Reina tries to release Torres with a quick thinking long kick but it is overhit and goes out of play. The moment sums up Liverpool's first-half.
39 mins : Finally a chance to write home about as Pennant skins two defenders before clipping the ball into the box for Torres to head at goal. Unfortunately for the Spaniard he directs it straight at Gordon.
43 mins : The Pennant run and cross moments earlier has been the highlight of the first-half!
45 mins : There will be a minimum of three minutes added time.
18:05 GMT : Half Time Reached

18:22 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Substitution: Steve Finnan for Fabio Aurelio:
46 mins : Liverpool restart the second period attacking the Kop end.
47 mins : Finnan is on for Aurelio and has slotted in at left-back. Carra remains at right-back.
48 mins : Sammy Lee is among the crowd watching today's game.
49 mins : Like the rest of us he's not had much to get excited about yet.
51 mins : The crowd are beginning to show their frustration as the Reds are still struggling to create any openings.
55 mins : The hosts are camped in the Sunderland half at present but we are still finding it difficult to manufacture any chances. Jermaine Pennant has looked lively down the right but despite the occasional piece of magic it's just not happening up top.
56 mins : Substitution: Roy O'Donovan for Rade Prica:
57 mins : GOAL! Peter Crouch:
59 mins : That's warmed the crowd up! Torres nearly makes it two with a ferocious volley from the right hand side of the area but Gordon makes a fine save to deny him.
61 mins : Substitution: Yossi Benayoun for Lucas Leiva:
63 mins : Brilliant build up play ends with a trademark Crouch scissor kick but Gordon denies him with a top save. Gerrard then saw his follow up deflected for a corner and from that the away side had to head off the line.
66 mins : We just had more chances in two minutes than we had in the first hour of this clash! What a difference a goal makes.
69 mins : GOAL! Fernando Torres:
72 mins : The visitors look deflated. Great combination between Torres and Crouch for the second goal with the Spaniard racing on to the big man's flick.
73 mins : Stevie G's just been down with a bit of cramp. Finnan and Reina were on hand to give him some help and his back up and in the thick of it again.
74 mins : Sunderland just had a huge penalty appeal turned down as Murphy's shot clearly hit Carra on the arm. A lucky escape for Liverpool.
79 mins : Roy Keane's men have responded well to going 2-0 down but have not really troubled Reina with any strikes on goal.
81 mins : If we can maintain this lead it will put us one point behind Everton with a game in hand.
83 mins : It was nearly cut there though as Reina could only push a header out into the danger area. Luckily for us Crouchie was there to hack it away.
83 mins : Substitution: Martin Waghorn for Michael Chopra:
83 mins : Substitution: Dirk Kuyt for Peter Crouch:
84 mins : And so Dirk is on for Crouchie. Can he get that goal he so desperately needs to boost his confidence?
87 mins : The attendance tonight is 43,244.
88 mins : The monkey is nearly off our back. A first league win in 2008 is minutes away. Here's to many, many more.
89 mins : Penalty to Liverpool. Pennant brought down.
89 mins : GOAL! Steven Gerrard: Penalty
89 mins : First Booking: Craig Gordon:
90 mins : There will be a minimum of two minutes added time.
19:09 GMT : Match Over

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