Against Liverpool’s £100m men, Sunderland proved themselves as the smartest spenders

Federico Chiesa has started to forge a reputation as Liverpool ’s latest super-sub because of his capacity to deliver crucial contributions in the opposition’s penalty area. As he cemented it, it was with injury-time heroics in his own. Liverpool were spared a 10th defeat in 14 games, a third in a row at home and a particularly embarrassing concession by a man who had been sent on to score a winner.

When Wilson Isidor’s 94th-minute shot beat Alisson, Chiesa turned rescuer. The last man back, his goal-line clearance was another illustration that the Italian never gives up. For that, Liverpool could be grateful. Having showed too little ambition at the start and too much at the end, they were carved open by one ball forward from goalkeeper Robin Roefs. Chasing a game, they at least claimed a point from a losing position for the first time this season. Yet while they ended up with a first draw of the campaign, an unwillingness to settle for it almost cost them.

Because really it was Sunderland who were denied victory; it would have been their first at Anfield since 1983 and when Chemsdine Talbi , scorer of a decider against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, put them ahead, he seemed on course for a notable double, while Sunderland were set for fourth place. As it was, they can still look down on Liverpool in the table and rue aspects of a night in which they hit the woodwork in both halves and when both scorers were Sunderland players.

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Virgil van Dijk’s backside played a crucial part in Chemsdine Talbi’s opener (AP)

Because while Liverpool’s equaliser was celebrated by Florian Wirtz and appeared, at the 18th time of asking, to have belatedly opened his account for his new club, it was instead debited to Nordi Mukiele, his deflection diverting an off-target shot past Roefs. A game of two deflected goals nevertheless shone a light on two spending sprees.

Liverpool were the biggest spenders in the summer. Sunderland may have been the smartest. Talbi was a low-profile recruit and, at £16.5m, a low-cost one, certainly in comparison to his Liverpool counterparts. But he is proof arrivals can settle swiftly and while Liverpool are beginning to see hints of why they spent so much on their £100m men, Alexander Isak and Wirtz, Sunderland’s massive overhaul has produced a hugely impressive side.

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Florian Wirtz thought he had finally bagged his first Premier League goal before it was debited to Nordi Mukiele (REUTERS)

They were a unit; well coached, confident in possession, with touches of class. Liverpool are a team in search of a blueprint; their shortcomings were all too apparent again. A night when Mohamed Salah was first snubbed and then summoned illustrated that Arne Slot has not found a winning formula without him. Liverpool were better with Salah, but that is not saying much.

A glimpse of life without Salah was decidedly dull. His exile from the side was not a one-game affair; for the first time in his Liverpool career, he was a substitute for successive matches . Once again, Dominik Szoboszlai was preferred on the right. But Liverpool were too narrow without Salah, with Szoboszlai tucking in. In the first half, they lacked ideas and creativity, movement and runners ahead of the ball.

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A glimpse of life without Mohamed Salah was decidedly dull (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

So Slot had to send an SOS to Salah at half-time. The familiar sound of the song serenading Anfield’s ‘Egyptian king’ followed a minute later. Salah at least brought energy and urgency, the tempo rising along with the volume. He had the air of a man desperate to make something happen.

Little had occurred before then. Alexis Mac Allister had headed Joe Gomez’s cross against the post. Yet, apart from Szoboszlai’s swerving shot, which Roefs tipped over, they fashioned precious little else in an uninspired first half.

Meanwhile, Sunderland struck the woodwork in each half. Trai Hume’s long-range piledriver was tipped on to the bar by Alisson. Omar Alderete met Enzo Le Fee’s corner with a header that struck the near post. Their goal needed a deflection but was deserved. And had a winner followed, that might have been merited, too.