Liverpool Held by Sunderland as Familiar Problems Disrupt Premier League Momentum
A night of overwhelming possession, heavy pressure and missed control leaves Liverpool searching for clarity after Sunderland resist with resilience.
Liverpool’s Control of the Ball Could Not Deliver Control of the Match
Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Sunderland at Anfield carried a frustration that ran far deeper than the scoreline. This was a Premier League match Liverpool dominated in the numbers and yet failed to control in any meaningful tactical sense. Possession, shots and territory were all comfortably in Liverpool’s favour, but structure and clarity were not.
The images you provided will sit throughout the piece to show precisely how the match unfolded from a statistical perspective.
Slow Structure and a First Half That Invited Sunderland Forward
Arne Slot again trusted a largely consistent side, but the early phases of the match quickly slipped away from Liverpool. The pressing structure was fractured and overly complex, and Sunderland were allowed to settle far too easily.
Liverpool dominated the ball, but it was domination without purpose.
This opening image reinforces the imbalance. Liverpool held the ball for sixty eight percent of the match yet failed to impose their press in a way that prevented Sunderland from clearing, resetting and growing in confidence.
A major issue came from the way Liverpool defended out of possession. Florian Wirtz stood on Granit Xhaka, Alexander Isak was left covering two centre backs and the goalkeeper, and Cody Gakpo repeatedly found himself dragged into deep defensive positions. Sunderland are not a side who seek slow, intricate build up play. They want distance, territory and second balls. Liverpool gave them all three.
The duel statistics underline why this mattered.