Grit Over Glamour at the Stadium of Light

Sunderland 0-1 Liverpool | Reds End Sunderland's Unbeaten Home Record

Feb 12, 2026

There are grounds where three points carry more weight than the arithmetic suggests, and Sunderland away has been one of those all season. To win there, 1-0, against the last unbeaten home side in the league mattered.

Liverpool controlled much of it, 14 shots before the interval, Wirtz lively and inventive, Salah probing, yet the familiar anxiety lingered when chances went begging. The captain settled it in the manner captains should, rising with authority, directing his header with conviction, and restoring calm.

What pleased me most was the steel. Konate’s duel with Brobbey had edge, a proper centre half’s display, strong in the air, composed on the floor, decisive in the tackle. If ever a performance deserved the label man of the match, that was it. Although Ally McCoist opted for Van Dijk.

There will be noise about dropping deep after taking the lead. I saw a side short on confidence, eager to protect what they’d earned. That instinct can look like retreat, yet it often speaks to tension rather than instruction. With greater belief, the counters will carry more menace. Ekitike has the pace for it, Salah the instinct, and Wirtz the imagination.

Above all, admiration for Endo. Asked to fill in at right-back, he gave everything, even attempting to continue after an injury, so Liverpool wouldn’t defend the corner a man down, before requiring a stretcher. That kind of commitment resonates. One hopes it is not as serious as it first appeared, though Slot said post-match he expects him to be out for a “long time”.

In a demanding Premier League season, resolve counts. Liverpool found their own light at a stadium named for it.

Post-Match Podcasts

Trev Downey is joined by Dave Hendrick and Guy Drinkel on Post-Match RAW with fast reaction to Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Sunderland in the Premier League this evening - Listen Now