Mukiele own goal ensures Liverpool avoid another defeat | OneFootball

Liverpool were forced to settle for a point at Anfield as newly promoted Sunderland earned a fully deserved draw, maintaining their place above Arne Slot’s side in the Premier League table.

For Liverpool, it was another performance that raised more questions than answers, and the issues that briefly felt eased at the weekend resurfaced.

Sunderland struck first on 67 minutes, and Liverpool could have few complaints. Chemsdine Talbi was allowed to drift into space, with Liverpool’s defensive line backing off, and his driven effort took a telling deflection off Virgil van Dijk, leaving Alisson helpless.

The Reds response came from the one moment of real intensity they produced. Curtis Jones won the ball back high and fed Florian Wirtz. The £100m summer signing skipped past two Sunderland defenders, drove into the box and got his shot away. The effort was heading goalwards, but the huge deflection off Nordi Mukiele completely wrong-footed Roefs and brought Liverpool level.

The strike was ultimately recorded as a Mukiele own goal, denying Wirtz his long-awaited first for the club.

Liverpool pushed for a late winner, but the clearest chance of the final stages fell to Sunderland. A rapid break sent Wilson Isidor through one-on-one he rounded Alisson with composure and looked certain to win it, only for Federico Chiesa to scramble back and clear off the line.

Arne Slot’s side never found the rhythm, sharpness or dominance expected at home, and by the final whistle it was Sunderland who looked the more coherent and convincing outfit.