Liverpool delivered a commanding away display to become the first side to beat Sunderland at the Stadium of Light in the Premier League this season.
A second-half header from captain Virgil van Dijk proved decisive, earning the visitors all three points after a performance in which they controlled much of the game. The Dutch defender rose to meet Mohamed Salah’s corner shortly after the hour mark, and although Sunderland’s Habib Diarra attempted to clear off the line, he could only divert the ball into his own net.
Arne Slot’s side were dominant in the opening half, enjoying 68% possession as they dictated the tempo. Despite struggling early on to penetrate Sunderland’s well-organised defence, Liverpool gradually increased the pressure.
Florian Wirtz came closest to opening the scoring before the break. On the half-hour mark, the German midfielder unleashed a powerful effort from outside the area that was tipped away by goalkeeper Robin Roefs. Moments later, Wirtz struck the post with a left-footed attempt from inside the box and also saw a header saved as Liverpool continued to threaten.
Sunderland, managed by Regis Le Bris, worked hard to keep the score level at half-time, limiting their opponents despite managing only five touches inside Liverpool’s penalty area in the first half.
The hosts showed improvement after the interval, with captain Trai Hume firing over the bar. However, Liverpool’s pressure eventually paid off when Van Dijk netted his fourth goal of the campaign to give the visitors a deserved lead.
Liverpool managed the remainder of the match well to secure an important victory, though the result was overshadowed by a concerning injury to Wataru Endo. Making his first league start of the season at right-back due to Dominik Szoboszlai’s suspension, the Japan international impressed defensively, winning a match-high seven duels. However, shortly after the goal, he landed awkwardly on his ankle and had to be stretchered off. He was replaced by Joe Gomez, who had recently returned from injury.
After the match, Slot admitted the outlook was uncertain. “We have to wait and see, but we expect not to have him for quite a long time,” he said.
The win — only Liverpool’s second league triumph of 2026 — narrows the gap to fifth-placed Chelsea to two points, while Sunderland remain 11th in the table.
