It was a game Liverpool could ill-afford to lose. To take all three points from an in-form Sunderland team without Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres was always going to be a big ask, but to be robbed a point in the manner of Liverpool's misfortune is onerous. Bent's low shot hit a beach ball on its way towards goal wrong footing Pepe Reina and nestling in the back of the net. It was tough luck on Rafa Benitez' men, but in football when things are not going well, this is the type of luck that befalls you.
Benitez must be wondering what he has done to deserve such misfortune. Having run Manchester United close to the title last season, with a squad of players a few rungs down the ladder of United and Chelsea in terms of quality and strength in depth, the Spaniard must have thought he was only a few signings away from assembling a squad capable of bringing the title back to Anfield. But then his plans began to fall apart at the seams.
Liverpool Squad Lacks Quality
The American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks had run the club into £42 million pounds worth of debt and were unable to provide funds to bring in new players. Benitez missed out on the likes of Gareth Barry and David Silva which would have strengthened his attacking options. Then he lost the influential Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid and had to fight to retain the services of Javier Mascherano. Already his squad looks depleted.
For the first three games the substitute's bench included three youth team players with limited to no Premier League experience whatsoever. Teenagers Jay Spearing, Martin Kelly and Daniel Ayala were all named in the first team squad, with the latter starting against Stoke City due to injuries to Daniel Agger and Martin Skertl. Benitez was given a measly 1.5m to fill the void.
But the defeat to Sunderland wasn't simply about lady luck turning her cheek. When Benitez needed one of his players to produce in the absence of Gerrard and Torres nobody was capable. It was a mediocre performance from a mediocre group of players and highlighted Liverpool are a couple of players short of winning the league.
The fact of the matter is the Liverpool squad lacks the quality in forward positions. Of the 19 shots the Reds took against Sunderland, only four were on target. Far too often they lacked imagination in the final third and gave the ball away too cheaply. The result means Liverpool have lost three consecutive games and must bounce back against Lyon in midweek, and a must win game against bitter rivals Manchester United next weekend.
Liverpool's Fading Title Hopes Given One Last Glimmer of Hope
Having suffered four defeats in nine games Liverpool's title challenge is fading fast. Not since 1963 has a team gone on to lift the title after losing four of their first ten matches - that team was Liverpool.
