by Carlingnet
Liverpool ended Sunderland's 364-day unbeaten league run as they continued their charge
up the FA Carling Premiership table with a 2-0 victory.
Michael Owen's fourth goal of the season set the Merseysiders on their way on 63 minutes and Patrik
Berger confirmed the victory four minutes from time with a sweet strike.
But Liverpool were forced on to the back foot for long periods and they had goalkeeper Sander Westerveld
to thank for fine saves from Eric Roy and Kevin Phillips and defender Rigobert Song twice cleared off the line.
Sunderland, who last lost on November 21 last year, were made to pay for their missed
chances as they failed to capitalise on another battling display from striker Niall Quinn.
Manager Peter Reid's changes were all enforced as Steve Bould, Chris Makin and Stefan
Schwarz were forced to sit out the game through suspension, with Jody Craddock, Darren
Williams and Alex Rae taking their places.
Opposite number Gerard Houllier, faced with a string of injuries, opted for five changes to the
side which beat Derby 2-0 a fortnight ago, Song, Berger, Dominic Matteo, Danny Murphy and
Steven Gerrard all coming into the starting line-up.
The sight of Reid and striker Phillips picking up their Carling awards for October before kick-off had the
home crowd in good spirits, and they saw their side take a firm hold of the game early on.
Quinn gave Sami Hyypia and defensive partner Stephane Henchoz a torrid time in the air, but
although his side were dominating, they failed to make the pressure count.
Indeed, it took Sunderland 28 minutes to create a meaningful opening as Gavin McCann
screwed a shot wide of Westerveld's right post.
But they almost went in front six minutes later when Quinn collected Nicky Summerbee's
cross and chipped the ball over the advancing keeper, only for Song to turn up on the line and hack clear.
In the meantime, Liverpool had failed to provide any service of note to Owen and Murphy, although midfielder
Gerrard proved a threat and Craddock three times had to intervene to cut out dangerous crosses.
While the home side will have been pleased with their first-half display, their disciplinary
problems worsened as McCann and Rae both picked up yellow cards which will keep them
out of the home clash with Chelsea on December 4.
Phillips should have put Sunderland in front within a minute of the restart when he rose to
meet Summerbee's cross but glanced his header wide. But it was midfielder Roy who
almost made the breakthorugh on 55 minutes.
Hyypia's header under pressure from Quinn ran to the Frenchman, and when he stabbed a
shot towards goal, Westerveld just managed to steer the ball round his right post.
But Liverpool represented more of a threat as the game wore on and it took a good block
from Michael Gray to deny Gerrard on 61 minutes.
But there was nothing Gray or his team-mates could do to stop Owen two minutes later as he wriggled away
from Craddock and chipped over Thomas Sorensen to open the scoring.
Sunderland threw everything at the visitors in the closing stages and
Quinn saw a header drop just over from Williams' cross.
Roy should really have hit the target when he blasted wide on 72 minutes as the visitors
struggled to clear their lines, and Westerveld saved brilliantly from Phillips nine minutes from time.
Owen squandered the chance of a second five minutes from time, but Berger showed him
how to do it seconds later with a drilled shot into the bottom corner.
Sunderland were denied an injury-time consolation strike when Song again cleared off the
line from McCann's shot to complete a job well done.
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