Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw by Sunderland at Anfield

Liverpool needed an unfortunate own goal by Nordi Mukiele to salvage a 1-1 draw with Sunderland, in Wednesday's Premier League encounter at Anfield.

Mukiele diverted Florian Wirtz's wayward effort at the end of a jinking run into the back of the Sunderland net in the 81st minute.

Chemsdine Talbi had earlier put the Black Cats into a much-deserved lead with a long-range effort that cannoned home via the back of Virgil van Dijk.

Sunderland also hit the woodwork twice in a performance that may have yielded more on a different day, while Alexis Mac Allister struck the post for a Liverpool side who were far from their best.

Arne Slot’s team – who sit eighth, two places back from the Black Cats – were fortunate that Wilson Isidor did not seal a famous victory for Sunderland when he broke clear late on, with Federico Chiesa making a vital block.

How the match unfolded

Wirtz’s squirmed attempt was the most Liverpool mustered in a lacklustre start from the hosts. Sunderland, by contrast, showed plenty of verve, and Trai Hume was desperately unlucky to see a stinging drive parried onto the crossbar by Alisson. 

Dominik Szoboszlai's dipping strike tested Robin Roefs and Mac Allister headed against the left post as Liverpool belatedly bared their teeth. 

Mohamed Salah's half-time introduction injected a little intensity to Liverpool's attack and he saw an effort from the right of the area well blocked, but the Reds got lucky when Omar Alderete's glancing header struck the outside of the post. 

Their luck was out in the 67th minute as Talbi let fly with a long-range effort that struck Van Dijk and nestled into the bottom-left corner. 

But Liverpool fought back. Wirtz thought he had his first Reds goal, but his attempt was clearly heading wide before it struck the foot of Mukiele and skewed past a helpless Roefs. 

Isidor then rounded Alisson in a dramatic stoppage-time counter-attack, only for Chiesa to hack his effort away in front of a vacant goal. 

Massive let off for disjointed Reds 

Slot would no doubt have been deeply frustrated by the opening period, in which the Reds produced little to trouble the comfortable visitors until Mac Allister's effort late in the half. 

It all felt a little disjointed in attack, with Szoboszlai clearly not overly comfortable on the right flank, thus drifting in and occupying spaces in which Wirtz wanted to operate. 

With Cody Gakpo more comfortable cutting in from the left too, it all felt a little cramped and created a clear lack of cohesion, with Alexander Isak having little impact. 

It was little surprise to see Salah, benched for the second game running, enter the fray for the second half and the Egyptian certainly gave Sunderland’s defence something to think about. 

There was little improvement in Liverpool’s attacking output, though, and truthfully it took until Sunderland went ahead for the Reds to flex their muscles. 

The equaliser led to a sustained spell of pressure but, ultimately, they had to settle for a point and will now look to prepare for a tough trip to Leeds United on Saturday. 

Mixed luck for Black Cats in fearless outing 

While Liverpool created many of their own problems in the first half, you simply have to give credit to Sunderland too. 

They were organised, well-drilled, and willing to press and hassle Liverpool into errors. 

Hume's rocket aside, the visitors did not particularly trouble Alisson too much before the break, but they created a solid base to build from for the second half. 

And when that moment arrived, Talbi – albeit with a slice of luck via Van Dijk – was the man to deliver, with a goal that sparked jubilant scenes in the away end and threatened to earn Sunderland their first league win at Anfield since 1983. 

As it transpired, a slice of fortune was followed by a slice of misfortune for Mukiele, who could do no more to block Wirtz's shot.  

While it was a frustrating moment for the away side and had Chiesa not cleared off the line, then the Black Cats would surely have taken all three points. However, Regis Le Bris will take great heart from a performance that deeply troubled the defending champions, and Sunderland continue to mix it in a congested top half. 

Things do not get much easier for Sunderland, though, as they head to Manchester City this weekend. 

Attendance: 60,414