Comfortable win over Sunderland, but the Kopites will have that bitter feeling that it was a little too late. The Reds finally deployed the parachute on their spiraling downwards aircraft with a win over the north-easterners which could have been with a more expressive score-line on both ends.

Sunderland should have opened the score at the beginning but Kenwyne Jones had his shot saved when he was left to battle it out toe to toe with Reds keeper Jose Reina. Incredible miss for the Cats, and a superb save by the Spaniard. The first half ended 0-0 which didn't do justice to both teams as the match was open and fast, and there were opportunities at both ends.

The second half Liverpool went forward and David Ngog opened the proceedings, and his account for the club for that matter,  with a smart side-foot in his first league goal for the Reds after Steven Gerrard dropped the ball in his feet with an accurate header in the 50th minute.

Ngog managed to get a high overhead kick across the penalty area after a mis-kicked Sunderland clearance, then Sunderland goalkeeper Marton Fulop parried the ball which went into the path of Israeli international Yossi Benayoun who made no mistake from a couple of yards out to put the Reds 2-0 up.
 
It might have been a soft goal to concede from Sunderland's point of view, but Benayoun should be commended for taking full advantage of Fulop's weak play in the box.
 
The Reds continued to create chances after that and looked to keep possession for the remainder of the match, which they did for the most part. It also saw them complete the type of win they have failed to manage at home this season as they broke down stubborn defensive opponents to earn the three points. It was a decent win but not enough to make up for Stoke City, Fulham and all the other games at Anfield where Liverpool spilled, endlessly.

Still better than a defeat to Middlesbrough. Rafael Benitez will have to concentrate on finishing second in the league this season around, and the Liverpool supporters will have to swallow the bitter bill that United will finally equal them in the league.

Benitez would tell you that the season was lost because Torres was injured too often. Perhaps. But a team of that class cannot rely on Torres and Gerrard to haul them  the entire season. Reality is, this title was entirely Liverpool's to lose, and it was lost because of tactical mistakes and needless rotation, not to mention unbelievable transfer market policy.
 
Sunderland manager Ricky Sbragia told the BBC after the match: "Jones should have scored - and on any other day, he probably would have done so. If we had scored then the game would have been very different. Liverpool would have become anxious and we would have given ourselves something to hang on to. Liverpool would have been under pressure. We did okay in the first half - but once they went ahead, it was always going to be difficult.