Liverpool Held to 1-1 as Wirtz’s Forced Own Goal Salvages a Draw Against Sunderland — Winning Streak Ends

Analysis by Hikaru Sakamoto

4 December 2025 

Matchday 14 of the Premier League took place on December 3rd, with Liverpool hosting Sunderland at Anfield.

Liverpool entered the fixture with 7 wins and 6 losses from their first 13 league matches, collecting 21 points but suffering a shocking dip in form. Despite starting the season as defending champions, they have now lost 9 of their last 13 competitive games. Still, they arrived with some momentum after a comfortable 2–0 win over West Ham in the previous round, hoping to secure back-to-back league victories for the first time since September. Japanese international Wataru Endo began the match on the bench.

Sunderland broke the deadlock in the 67th minute. A misplaced pass from Virgil van Dijk was intercepted high up the pitch, allowing Enzo Le Fée to slip a short pass to Kemsdhin Talbi. The forward turned sharply and unleashed a right-footed strike from the edge of the box. The shot deflected off Van Dijk and flew into the net, giving the visitors a surprise lead.

Liverpool eventually responded in the 81st minute to level the match. Curtis Jones pressed aggressively on the right flank, won the ball back, and drove toward the penalty area. Florian Wirtz received the ensuing pass, danced past several markers with tight touches, and shifted onto his left foot before firing a shot that deflected off a defender and rolled into the goal. The Reds finally had their equalizer.

The match ended 1–1, with Endo remaining unused. Up next, Liverpool travel to Leeds on December 6, while Sunderland face Manchester City away.

Score
Liverpool 1–1 Sunderland

Scorers
0–1 67′ Kemsdhin Talbi (Sunderland)
1–1 81′ Own Goal (Liverpool)

The Bigger Picture

This 1–1 draw was neither stability nor reassurance, and it certainly didn’t feel like progress. From the same perspective as Liverpool supporters, it was a match that marked a clear line being crossed. Against a newly promoted Sunderland side that many fans openly acknowledged as the better team on the day, Liverpool once again looked slow, predictable, and dependent on isolated moments rather than structure.

Yes, Florian Wirtz was involved in the equaliser, even if it ultimately went down as an own goal. The crowd stayed engaged. But those details offer little comfort when the prevailing emotion around Anfield is closer to resignation than belief. The ball circulation was lethargic and horizontal, easy to defend against, with almost no movement in behind. Sunderland, by contrast, looked far more at ease attacking space.

What stands out in the reactions is not confusion but clarity. Supporters are not divided — they are largely aligned. The attack feels toothless. The wings are being misused. The decision not to start Federico Chiesa makes little sense to many. Mohamed Salah drifted through long stretches without influence. Frustration at Dominik Szoboszlai’s delivery was evident. And when Virgil van Dijk’s mistake led directly to the opening goal, it only reinforced how fragile the overall performance remains.

Above all, this match felt symbolic. Not because it was a disaster, but because it was familiar. For many, this was the moment when ongoing speculation about the manager stopped feeling hypothetical and started to feel real.

Fan Reactions

Liverpool Fans

• “If a draw is enough to put the manager’s job on the line, that says everything. The attack just isn’t functioning.”
• “Honestly felt like we dragged a loss back into a draw. At least the second half had some entertainment.”
• “We’ll probably find out tonight whether the sacking rumors are true.”
• “Is Slot actually leaving? Nothing’s confirmed, but the rumors have exploded.”
• “For a newly promoted side, this is a fantastic result. Meanwhile we’re coping by counting points to the Champions League spots.”
• “Talking about a title race feels off-limits right now.”
• “The draw itself is fair — Sunderland were the better team today.”
• “It’s the same pattern every match: carry it wide, then float in a cross with no accuracy.”
• “Szoboszlai’s delivery today was really rough.”
• “At that point, just start Chiesa on the wing. It’s not complicated.”
• “Salah was basically invisible in the first half. Zero impact.”
• “Right now, Chiesa looks more useful to the team.”
• “If they score that last chance, we lose. That block saved us.”
• “This felt like the match that sealed Slot’s fate.”
• “Chiesa and Ekitike on the wings with Isak through the middle would fix so much.”
• “I just want fast, vertical football where the striker can actually run in behind.”
• “There’s no threat in this system. Opponents don’t even need to worry about space behind.”
• “Structurally, we’re incredibly easy to contain.”
• “Yes, Van Dijk’s mistake led to the goal, but the overall performance hasn’t improved.”
• “Changing the manager doesn’t guarantee improvement — the front office has responsibility too.”
• “The players carried the team. Avoiding a loss to Sunderland felt like a miracle.”
• “You can have possession all you want, but circulating the ball outside the block won’t score goals.”
• “If both wings are reinforced, keeping Slot is understandable.”
• “Why bench Chiesa just to start Gakpo and Salah? It makes no sense.”
• “They can’t keep riding their luck. Once the brutal holiday schedule hits, the flaws will be exposed.”
• “Wirtz finally gets on the scoresheet and it’s ruled an own goal. He’s unbelievably unlucky.”
• “Rewatched it — the shot was curling away from goal. Just pure bad luck.”
• “A draw against this Sunderland side is acceptable.”
• “A few months ago, I wouldn’t have trusted this team to equalise at all. That part mattered.”
• “The Leeds match is different. That’s a must-win.”
• “Honestly, with this level of performance, I don’t see us beating Leeds.”

What Remains

What remained for Liverpool supporters after this draw was not anger, but something closer to acceptance. Many fans calmly took in the reality of failing to secure a win against Sunderland. While some noted that a few months ago they would not have trusted this team to even fight back for a point, frustration remains clear over an attack that still isn’t functioning and a style of play that relies too heavily on slow, sideways circulation.

Questions around Federico Chiesa’s usage, how the wings are being deployed, and the lack of runs in behind continue to surface. The areas for improvement are visible on an individual level, yet confidence in the overall picture feels thin. More than the result itself, what lingers is the sense of having watched the same match play out again. Attention has already shifted to Leeds — and to what, if anything, will be shown there.

Source:
sky sports
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13477809/liverpool-1-1-sunderland-arne-slots-side-fortunate-to-rescue-draw-as-florian-wirtz-denied-first-premier-league-strike?utm_source=chatgpt.com