Against Liverpool’s £100m men, Sunderland proved themselves as the smartest spenders | OneFootball

Federico Chiesa has started to forge a reputation as Liverpool’s latest super-sub because of his capacity to deliver crucial contributions in the opposition’s penalty area. As he cemented it, it was with injury-time heroics in his own. Liverpool were spared a 10th defeat in 14 games, a third in a row at home and a particularly embarrassing concession by a man who had been sent on to score a winner. Perhaps not even David Fairclough or Divock Origi, previous generations of sensational substitutes, ever managed this.

But when Wilson Isidor’s 94th-minute shot beat Alisson, Chiesa turned rescuer. “I looked up and I saw the player of them completely free on the half-way line,” recalled Arne Slot. “The good thing is Fede could have thought, ‘it is nothing for me to do, I am so far away from the situation,’ but he kept sprinting. As a result, Fede could clear the ball off the line, which is the minimum he deserved.” It was another illustration that the Italian, whose Anfield career could have been over in the summer, never gives up. For that, Liverpool could be grateful. If their season is becoming a damage-limitation exercise, he prevented it from getting any worse.

Having showed too little ambition at the start and too much at the end, Liverpool were carved open by one ball forward from goalkeeper Robin Roefs. Chasing a game, they at least claimed a point from a losing position for the first time this season. Yet while they ended up with a first draw of the campaign, an unwillingness to settle for it almost cost them.

Because really it was Sunderland who were denied victory. “We had this opportunity to score the second goal,” rued Regis Le Bris, so close to becoming the first Sunderland manager to win at Anfield since Alan Durban in 1983. And when Chemsdine Talbi, scorer of a decider against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, put them ahead, the Moroccan seemed on course for a notable double, while Sunderland were set for fourth place. As it was, they can still look down on Liverpool in the table and rue aspects of a night in which they hit the woodwork in both halves and when both scorers were Sunderland players.

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Virgil van Dijk’s backside played a crucial part in Chemsdine Talbi’s opener (AP)

Because while Liverpool’s equaliser was celebrated by Florian Wirtz and appeared, at the 18th time of asking, to have belatedly opened his account for his new club, it was instead debited to Nordi Mukiele, his deflection diverting an off-target shot past Roefs. “In recent games we have found it really hard to get an equaliser but we have had a bit of luck,” added Slot. A match of two deflected goals nevertheless shone a light on two spending sprees.

Liverpool were the biggest spenders in the summer. Sunderland may have been the smartest. Talbi was a low-profile recruit and, at £16.5m, a low-cost one, certainly in comparison to his Liverpool counterparts. But he is proof arrivals can settle swiftly and while Liverpool are beginning to see hints of why they spent so much on their £100m men, Alexander Isak and Wirtz, Sunderland’s massive overhaul has produced a hugely impressive side.

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Florian Wirtz thought he had finally bagged his first Premier League goal before it was debited to Nordi Mukiele (REUTERS)

They were a unit; well coached, confident in possession, with touches of class. Liverpool are a team in search of a blueprint; their shortcomings were all too apparent again. A night when Mohamed Salah was first snubbed and then summoned illustrated that Slot has not found a winning formula without him. Liverpool were better with Salah, but that is not saying much.

A glimpse of life without Salah was decidedly dull. His exile from the side was not a one-game affair; for the first time in his Liverpool career, he was a substitute for successive matches. Once again, Dominik Szoboszlai was preferred on the right. But Liverpool were too narrow without Salah, with Szoboszlai tucking in. In the first half, they lacked ideas and creativity, movement and runners ahead of the ball.

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A glimpse of life without Mohamed Salah was decidedly dull (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

So Slot had to send an SOS to Salah at half-time. The familiar sound of the song serenading Anfield’s ‘Egyptian king’ followed a minute later. Salah at least brought energy and urgency, the tempo rising along with the volume. He had the air of a man desperate to make something happen. “We expected Salah to come on and change the dynamic,” added Le Bris.

Little had occurred before then. Alexis Mac Allister had headed Joe Gomez’s cross against the post. Yet, apart from Szoboszlai’s swerving shot, which Roefs tipped over, they fashioned precious little else in an uninspired first half.

Meanwhile, Sunderland struck the woodwork in each half. Trai Hume’s long-range piledriver was tipped on to the bar by Alisson. Omar Alderete met Enzo Le Fee’s corner with a header that struck the near post. Talbi struck as Virgil van Dijk first backed off and then saw the ball go in off his backside. “Their goal is not even a chance,” lamented Slot. “If that is a chance we have had 20 chances tonight. The draw was the minimum we deserved.”

And yet, but for Chiesa, it would have been another loss,