Liverpool bounced back from their recent league upsets to claim an important 2-0 victory at home to Sunderland. In a game where the Reds found it hard to break through the Mackems’ defence, they triumphed thanks to second half strikes from David Ngog, making his full home debut, scored one goal and helped create the second for Yossi Benayoun as Liverpool cut Manchester United’s lead at the top to four points.
Benitez made four changes from the side that lost to Middlesbrough. And he chose to use Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano at right-back. Left out were Sami Hyypia, Fabio Aurelio, Ryan Babel and Nabil El Zhar, with Albert Riera, Yossi Benayoun, Emiliano Insua and David Ngog in the starting line-up.
Sunderland made only one change from the side that drew at Arsenal last time out, with Grant Leadbitter taking over from the injured Teemu Tainio.
The results keeps the Reds in third place, now only four points behind league leaders Manchester United, but Alex Ferguson’s men have two games in hand.
