Determined Liverpool bolster chances for Champions League qualification

SUNDERLAND, England — For over an hour at the Stadium of Light, it appeared that Liverpool was facing a familiar scenario. Arne Slot’s squad came to Wearside with the goal of achieving what no team had accomplished in the Premier League this season: defeating newly promoted Sunderland at their home ground.

Both Arsenal and Manchester City had previously attempted and failed to achieve this. For 61 minutes, the home team seemed poised to enhance their impressive home record as they withstood relentless pressure from Liverpool.

However, Virgil van Dijk emerged, rising above the rest to head in what would become the decisive goal in a hard-fought 1-0 victory for the Premier League champions. It was not a standout performance, by any means, but it demonstrated a collective resolve and determination that has often been lacking for Liverpool this season.

It was significant that perhaps the loudest cheer of the evening from the traveling fans came in the closing moments when Alexis Mac Allister executed a full-blooded tackle to send the ball out for a throw-in at the halfway line. This was not a night for finesse and creativity, but rather one where Liverpool needed to assert themselves.

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Their ability to do so could be crucial in the battle for Champions League qualification, with Slot’s team now just three points behind fourth-placed Manchester United and two points behind Chelsea in fifth. The fact that both teams dropped points on Tuesday night — against West Ham United and Leeds United respectively — may have sharpened Liverpool’s focus ahead of their trip to the North East on Wednesday.

The late collapse at home against Manchester City over the weekend had — at least from an external perspective — intensified the pressure on Slot. With key player Dominik Szoboszlai suspended following his late red card at the weekend, optimism among the fan base had been a rare commodity leading into this match.

In the first half, supporters who made the 170-mile journey from Merseyside could have been forgiven for fearing the worst as Liverpool failed to capitalize on their dominance against a well-organized Sunderland team. Florian Wirtz shone at times, forcing a fine save from Robin Roefs and hitting the post, yet the visitors could not find the breakthrough.

By halftime, Liverpool had controlled 68.2% of possession and had taken 14 shots compared to Sunderland’s two. However, given Slot’s side had fallen victim to numerous fine margins this season, it seemed inevitable that they would eventually pay for their missed opportunities.

Yet, if doubts were beginning to surface among supporters, the players on the field maintained their concentration. Having struggled with set pieces throughout the season, it was ultimately a corner — Liverpool’s 10th of the night — that propelled the visitors into the lead.

Despite Mohamed Salah again struggling to find his best form on Wednesday night, the Egypt international still managed to make further history, as his dangerous cross into the penalty area allowed him to equal Steven Gerrard for the most assists (92) for Liverpool in the Premier League era. Captain Van Dijk, on the other hand, achieved his own milestone with his powerful header, surpassing Sami Hyypia to become the Reds’ highest-scoring defender in the competition with 23 goals.

Nevertheless, this challenging campaign has been anything but straightforward for Liverpool, and this was evident again as makeshift right-back Wataru Endo — the seventh player to occupy that position this season — was forced off the field with what Slot later described as a “serious” ankle injury. Having seen limited action this season, the Japan international had performed well before his evening was abruptly ended, and he was replaced by the returning Joe Gomez.

However, rather than falter in the face of yet more adversity, Liverpool regrouped. Ibrahima Konaté particularly stood out at the center of the defense. Just a few months ago, the center-back faced criticism after a series of individual errors led Slot to admit he was “too often at the crime scene.” Yet, against the dynamic Brian Brobbey, Konaté continued his impressive resurgence, denying the Dutch international what appeared to be a certain goal with a superb last-ditch challenge in the second half.

“Impressed but not surprised,” Slot remarked about Konaté’s performance. “He’s an example, almost of our season; he’s been so unlucky. He’s played games where he’s been excellent for 89 minutes, and then one moment ruins our game, his game. It’s not always about him, but a few times that has happened, and then everyone focuses on his mistake.

But footballers make mistakes, and not every shot finds the net. I was just asked about the last 10 minutes, and I said the good thing was we didn’t concede a chance. Against City, we didn’t concede a chance after the first minute until the 84th minute, then we let one in. So it was good to hardly concede a chance, and Ibou was a significant part of that, along with Virgil, but I appreciated the mentality of the entire team.”

Certainly, that mentality will be tested again in the weeks and months to come as Liverpool continues their quest for Champions League qualification. This season, progress has not always been straightforward and has frequently been hindered by a series of false dawns.

For now, however, Liverpool has demonstrated their ability to persevere and secure a victory. If they aspire to have a place at Europe’s elite next season, they must continue to prove they can win the battle.