Sunderland rally to earn draw with Reds

Posted Sunday, February 07, 2016 by foxsportsasia.com

Jermain Defoe netted a late equaliser as Sunderland fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday.

Liverpool 2 Sunderland 2

Firmino header gives Liverpool lead

Lallana doubles Reds advantage

Johnson pulls one back for visitors

Late Defoe strike earns point for Black Cats

Match summary

Roberto Firmino's header and Adam Lallana's tap-in put Liverpool in command at Anfield but Adam's Johnson's free-kick and Defoe's 89th-minute strike earned Sunderland a crucial point in their bid to beat the drop.

Full report

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was not at Anfield after suffering a suspected bout of appendicitis.

Patrick Van Aanholt had the first real effort when his long-range shot went well wide early on.

Liverpool suffered a blow in the 12th minute when defender Dejan Lovren - not long back from a hamstring injury - had to go off with another problem, with Kolo Toure coming on.

Liverpool's first real chance came in the 20th minute when Lallana played in Alberto Moreno but the defender's shot was saved by Vito Mannone.

Sunderland's Duncan Watmore went off with an ankle injury in the 26th minute, with Dame N'Doye coming on for the Black Cats.

Liverpool went close in the 44th minute when Firmino blasted over and Moreno then headed on to the roof of the net from six yards out.

Joe Allen had to go off on the stroke of half-time with what looked like a hamstring problem, with Jordon Ibe coming on.

Liverpool's Firmino nutmegged Jan Kirchhoff before hitting a shot just wide in the 54th minute as the Brazilian tried to take the game by the scruff of the neck.

The Reds took the lead in the 59th minute when Milner put in a great cross from the left and Firmino rose at the back post to head the ball back across Mannone and into the net.

Mannone then kept Sunderland in the match, saving Lallana's shot with his knees and keeping out Ibe's follow-up.

But Liverpool doubled their advantage in the 70th minute when Firmino forced Billy Jones into a mistake, drove towards Mannone and squared the ball for Lallana to tap-in from six yards out.

A number of Liverpool fans walked out in the 77th minute in protest at the club's ticket prices before Sunderland pulled a goal back in the 82nd minute through Adam Johnson.

The winger, who had come on for Kirchhoff in the 65th minute, hit a low free-kick from 25 yards out and the ball evaded a diving Simon Mignolet to nestle in the bottom corner.

And Sunderland then levelled matters when Van Aanholt played the ball to Wahbi Khazri on the edge of box. Sunderland's new signing passed to Defoe and the striker spun past Mamadou Sakho before firing a low shot inside Mignolet's near post to earn the Black Cats a point.