Liverpool cruise past Sunderland
by Simon Rushworth
August 25, 2007
SUNDERLAND, England (AFP) - Liverpool maintained their impressive start to the season as Momo Sissoko and Andriy Voronin ensured a comfortable 2-0 victory at newly-promoted Sunderland on Saturday.
An energetic home team could never match their illustrious rivals for quality and had Liverpool striker Fernando Torres not missed four clear chances this could have been another embarrassing lesson in top flight management for a disappointed Roy Keane.
Liverpool arrived at the Stadium of Light without influential captain Steven Gerrard as manager Rafael Benitez chose to rest his England international midfielder ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash with Toulouse.
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Voronin, signed from Bundesliga club Bayern Leverkusen during the close-season, almost took full advantage of his place alongside Torres when he burst clear of the Sunderland defence within 20 seconds.
Keane must have feared the worst after the previous weekend's 3-0 defeat at Wigan. However, Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon demonstrated just why he commanded a British record nine million pounds fee earlier this month with a point-blank save to deny Voronin the perfect start.
Liverpool were in control against last season's Championship title winners but the 2007 Champions League finalists suffered an unexpected blow in the 16th minute when Sami Hyypia was forced from the field with a suspected broken nose, following an innocuous clash with Sunderlands Daryl Murphy.
Daniel Agger slotted into central defence alongside Jamie Carragher but the switch briefly unsettled Benitez's men. Sunderland forced a first corner and Michael Chopra beat the offside trap only for Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina to reach the loose ball first.
In the 24th minute Chopra slid the ball into the path of Murphy but the Irishman saw his weak right foot shot cleared by the retreating Agger. In protecting Gerrards broken toe, Benitez had denied Liverpool their driving force and, in his absence, Sunderland were beginning to dominate a congested midfield.
However, if form is temporary then class is permanent and eight minutes before the break the visitors' quality shone through. Jermaine Pennant headed a fine Xabi Alonso pass into the path of Voronin and the busy forward touched the ball towards Sissoko, 22 yards from goal.
The Mali international spotted Gordon moving to his right and struck a fierce shot to the goalkeeper's left to open his seasons account in style.
Liverpool should have gone into half-time with a two-goal advantage but former Atletico Madrid forward Torres spurned a golden opportunity on the stroke of half-time.
Voronin played in Pennant on the right edge of the Sunderland area and crossed first time. Torres met the ball with a diving header but Gordon denied the Spaniard at the second attempt.
Gordon left Hearts with a huge reputation and within six minutes of the restart two outstanding saves showed why.
On each occasion Gordon repelled the lively Torres as Liverpool's 23-year-old forward was unable to add the finishing touch to a series of intelligent runs.
Riise replaced the injured Carragher 15 minutes from time and Benitez will be hoping his influential England centre half, like Gerrard, is fit to face Toulouse.
Voronin's smartly-taken goal after a flowing move, in the 87th minute, emphasised Liverpool's dominance on a day when the margin of victory could have been far greater.
Injuries apart, this was a successful exercise in squad rotation and a well-earned three points for a club with genuine title credentials.
