SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND — Virgil van Dijk rose highest to power home a 61st-minute header as Liverpool ground out a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, with both sides locked on 26 points in a tightly-contested Premier League battle. The Dutch captain's close-range finish from Mohamed Salah's pinpoint cross proved the difference in a match where the visitors dominated territory but found the hosts' defensive resolve difficult to crack.
Liverpool enjoyed the majority of possession at 56.9% and launched 23 shots at goal compared to Sunderland's 11, yet the breakthrough remained elusive until just past the hour mark. The visitors' profligacy in front of goal was stark—despite 23 attempts, they managed just three on target, a conversion rate that will concern manager Jürgen Klopp despite the three points. Sunderland, meanwhile, showed admirable discipline in their defensive shape, restricting clear-cut chances even as Liverpool peppered their penalty area throughout the contest.
The opening exchanges saw both sides probe cautiously, with Liverpool's technical superiority evident but Sunderland's organization keeping them at bay. Florian Wirtz thought he had given the visitors an early advantage in the 38th minute when his header from the centre of the box forced Robin Roefs into a sharp save, the Sunderland goalkeeper tipping the effort over the bar. At the other end, Nilson Angulo tested Alisson Becker moments later, the Brazilian stopper gathering his right-footed effort from outside the box comfortably in the centre of the goal after good work from Noah Sadiki.
Liverpool's pressure yielded 11 corners as they camped in Sunderland's half for extended periods, with Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister controlling the midfield tempo. The visitors' dominance in set-piece situations eventually paid dividends when Salah's delivery from a 61st-minute corner picked out Van Dijk unmarked at the near post, and the towering centre-back made no mistake, directing his header into the top left corner beyond the helpless Roefs.
Sunderland's response was immediate and spirited. Just two minutes after falling behind, Angulo came agonisingly close to restoring parity, meeting Nordi Mukiele's cross with a header from very close range that Alisson somehow kept out with a reflex save in the centre of the goal. The Brazilian's positioning and reactions proved crucial, maintaining Liverpool's slender advantage at a moment when momentum threatened to swing back toward the hosts.
The Black Cats continued to press for an equalizer as the match entered its final quarter. Mukiele became increasingly influential down the right flank, his 76th-minute effort from the edge of the box sailing just wide of Alisson's post. Trai Hume also went close with a header from the centre of the box that missed the target, while Dan Ballard's stoppage-time header from Lutsharel Geertruida's cross drifted narrowly wide as Sunderland threw bodies forward in desperation.
Liverpool's defensive solidity, marshalled by Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté, held firm under late pressure. The visitors absorbed Sunderland's attacking thrusts with relative comfort, though Wataru Endo's injury in the 64th minute forced a reshuffle that saw Joe Gomez introduced to shore up the backline. Andy Robertson and the tireless Hugo Ekitiké worked the channels effectively, with the latter going close in the 78th minute when his header from Robertson's cross whistled just wide following a swift counter-attack.
The statistics reflected Liverpool's territorial dominance but also highlighted their wastefulness in the final third. Despite 23 attempts, only three troubled Roefs, while Sunderland's more direct approach yielded 11 shots with two forcing saves from Alisson. The visitors' corner count of 11 to Sunderland's three underlined their sustained pressure, yet the hosts' defensive discipline—led by Omar Alderete and Dan Ballard—restricted clear-cut opportunities until Van Dijk's decisive intervention.
Habib Diarra received Sunderland's only yellow card in a match that remained competitive but largely fair, with Liverpool committing 10 fouls to the hosts' eight. The absence of any red cards allowed the contest to flow, though the physical intensity never waned as both sides battled for midfield supremacy. Cody Gakpo's influence waned as the match progressed, leading to his 75th-minute substitution for Curtis Jones, who added fresh legs to Liverpool's engine room.
The final whistle confirmed Liverpool's narrow victory, a result that moves them level on points with their hosts in a congested mid-table battle. Van Dijk's goal proved the decisive moment in a match where Liverpool's attacking dominance deserved reward, even if their finishing left much to be desired. For Sunderland, the performance offered encouragement despite the defeat, their defensive organization and late pressure suggesting they remain competitive in this tightly-bunched section of the table.
Both teams now turn their attention to their next challenges, knowing that consistency will be key in navigating the congested Premier League landscape where just two points separate seventh from eighth place.