Liverpool ease to Sunderland win
David Ngog's first Premier League goal keeps Liverpool in the hunt
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Tuesday, 03, Mar 2009 10:21
Liverpool got over their disappointing defeat against Middlesbrough with a comfortable 2-0 win over Sunderland at Anfield.
David Ngog and Yossi Benayoun found the back of the net for Liverpool, but Sunderland will be left kicking themselves as they should have taken an early lead through Kenwyne Jones.
The Black Cats wasted an unbelievable opening in the first five minutes as Jones found himself through on goal after the Liverpool midfield failed to cut-out a simple ball from the Sunderland defence. Jones managed to outpace the Liverpool defence but tamely shot straight at Pepe Reina.
Rafael Benitez handed a home league debut to youngster Ngog in the absence of Fernando Torres, but he looked nervous early on and the striking responsibility fell on the shoulders of Dirk Kuyt. The Dutchman was hard-working as ever brought an early low save from Martin Fulop.
Liverpool had the better of the early passage of play with wingers Benayoun and Albert Riera proving constant threats down either flanks. Riera pulled another good save out of Fulop after the Spaniard's shot took a deflection and wrong-footed the Sunderland keeper, but he did well to palm the ball away low down to his right.
It was a frustrating first-half for Liverpool as they tried hard to break the deadlock, but were unable to create clear-cut chances. The closest they came to scoring were through a couple of long-range efforts from right-back for the evening Javier Mascherano, with one hitting the side-netting and another skimming the cross-bar.
Riera continued to look dangerous on the left-flank and it was his pin-point cross into the box which was headed into the path of Ngog by Gerrard and the young Frenchman had a simple tap-in.
Fulop had had a decent game in the Sunderland goal, but it was his mistake which gifted Liverpool their second goal. Fulop was unable to keep hold of a hopeful ball into the box from Ngog and Benayoun was on hand to guide the ball into an empty net.