Lazar Markovic scored the only goal as improving Liverpool provisionally closed to within four points of the Premier League’s top four by winning 1-0 at Sunderland on Saturday. At a gusty Stadium of Light, the 20-year-old Serbia winger’s ninth-minute strike — his first Premier League goal — enabled Liverpool to extend their unbeaten run to five league games.

Gus Poyet’s Sunderland, who had Liam Bridcutt sent off for two bookable offences, remain three points above the relegation zone with only one win from their last 11 games. Having earlier seen a penalty appeal waved away after tumbling under a challenge from Wes Brown, Markovic put Liverpool ahead when he gathered a pass from Fabio Borini and prodded the ball between Costel Pantilimon’s legs.

Markovic then hit the bar with a spectacular, improvised scissors kick as Liverpool dominated, while former Sunderland loanee Borini rounded Pantilimon, only to find the side-netting. The visitors lost Steven Gerrard at half-time, with Dejan Lovren coming on, but their position was strengthened in the 49th minute when Bridcutt was shown a second yellow card for impeding Emre Can.

Moments later, Adam Johnson left the Liverpool crossbar shuddering with a swerving drive from distance, but Brendan Rodgers’s side finished strongly, with Pantilimon saving from Mario Balotelli and Philippe Coutinho. Co-leaders Chelsea and Manchester City are both in action later on Saturday, with Chelsea hosting managerless Newcastle United and City visiting out-of-form Everton.

The two pace-setters were left dead-level on points, goal difference, goals scored and goals conceded after the New Year’s Day fixtures. Tottenham Hotspur can move into the top four if they win at Crystal Palace, with third-place Manchester United and fourth-place Southampton facing off at Old Trafford on Sunday.

ALSO READ  North Korea is preparing to unveil new strategic weapon: Yonhap

Source: AFP

Share this article:
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Notice: All comments represent the view of the commenter and not necessarily the views of AMN.

All comments that are not spam or wholly inappropriate are approved, we do not sort out opinions or points of view that are different from ours.

Be Civil

This is a Civilized Place for Public Discussion

Please treat this discussion with the same respect you would a public park. We, too, are a shared community resource — a place to share skills, knowledge and interests through ongoing conversation.

These are not hard and fast rules, merely guidelines to aid the human judgment of our community and keep this a clean and well-lighted place for civilized public discourse.

Make it better

Improve the Discussion

Help us make this a great place for discussion by always working to improve the discussion in some way, however small. If you are not sure your post adds to the conversation, think over what you want to say and try again later.

The topics discussed here matter to us, and we want you to act as if they matter to you, too. Be respectful of the topics and the people discussing them, even if you disagree with some of what is being said.

Now the hard part!

Be Agreeable, Even When You Disagree

You may wish to respond to something by disagreeing with it. That’s fine. But remember to criticize ideas, not people. Please avoid:

  • Name-calling
  • Ad hominem attacks
  • Responding to a post’s tone instead of its actual content
  • Knee-jerk contradiction

Instead, provide reasoned counter-arguments that improve the conversation.