For more than an hour at the Stadium of Light, a familiar scenario seemed to surround Liverpool again. Arne Slot's army traveled to Wearside with a goal that no team has achieved in the Premier League this season - to defeat Sunderland right at home.
Arsenal and Manchester City both tried their hand but failed. Throughout the first 61 minutes, the home team stood firm against almost continuous pressure, seemingly to extend their impressive home streak.
But then Virgil van Dijk appeared at the right time. The Dutch center-back jumped high to head in the only goal, bringing a brave 1-0 victory for Liverpool. That was not a brilliant performance, but it showed what Liverpool often lacks this season. That is fighting spirit and collective determination.
The noteworthy detail is that the biggest cheers from the away team's stands came in the final minutes, when Alexis Mac Allister rushed into a fierce tackle to send the ball out in the midfield area. This was not a night for flowery, but a night Liverpool needed to stand upright and prove their bravery.
This victory may be of key significance in the race to win tickets to the UEFA Champions League. Liverpool is currently only three points behind Manchester United in fourth place and two points behind Chelsea in fifth place. The fact that both opponents drop points against West Ham United and Leeds United makes this Northeast trip even more important for Slot's team.
After a narrow defeat to Man City last weekend, pressure surrounding Slot - at least from outside - has increased. In addition, Dominik Szoboszlai is suspended after a late red card, making fans' optimism even more fragile before this match.
The first half was a picture of dominance but deadlock. Florian Wirtz sometimes shone brightly, forcing Robin Roefs to show his talent and once put the ball towards the post, but Liverpool still could not open the score. In the break, they held the ball 68.2% and launched 14 shots compared to only 2 for Sunderland. With Liverpool having paid the price for wasting opportunities this season many times, concerns reappeared clearly.
However, the away team did not let the focus slip out of their hands. After slumps in set pieces throughout the season, they finally scored from a corner kick.
Although Mohamed Salah once again had difficulty regaining his peak form, he still managed to reach a memorable milestone. The pass into the penalty area helped Salah equal Steven Gerrard's record of 92 assists for Liverpool in the Premier League era. Meanwhile, Van Dijk also set a personal milestone by surpassing Sami Hyypia to become the top scorer for Liverpool in this tournament with 23 goals.
However, this match still left a blemish on The Kop. Unwilling right-back Wataru Endo - the seventh player Slot used in this position in the season - had to leave the field due to injury. The Japanese international almost made no mistake before leaving the field with regret, and Joe Gomez, who had just returned to the squad, was put on the field to replace him.
But instead of collapsing, Liverpool showed even more tenacity. Ibrahima Konate was particularly prominent in the center of the defense. Just a few months ago, Konate was also criticized for personal mistakes. This time, against an energetic Brian Brobbey, Konate continued his revival when he promptly unleashed a decisive tackle at the end of the second half to prevent a golden opportunity.
Slot admitted he was impressed but not surprised by Konate's performance, while emphasizing the important thing that Liverpool had minimized the opponent's chances in the final minutes.
Surely, that spirit will be tested in the coming period when Liverpool continues the race for Champions League tickets. This season, their journey is often blocked by stunts and no shortage of illusions.
