SUNDERLAND deservedly earned a share of the spoils at Liverpool in a match clouded by controversy.

Contentious referee Stuart Attwell, once again, became the talking point of a highly-entertaining and competitive Premier League contest. The inept whistle blower was central to the opening two goals, while he could easily have sent off Joe Cole and Steven Gerrard for reckless challenges in the second half.

Darren Bent netted his seventh and eight goals for the Wearsiders with Dirk Kuyt and Gerrard netting for the Merseysiders in a match where, on another day, with another match official in charge, would have won.

It is open to debate but, a horrendous error by either Michael Turner, or Attwell, handed Liverpool a controversial lead in the most bizarre circumstances. The Black Cats centre back nonchalantly took a free-kick ,where he rolled a ball back to his goalkeeper, but the ball barely rolled two yards when he needed to find 20 yards. As a consequence Torres pounced on the ball and squared to Dirk Kuyt who slotted home after only five minutes. Turner appealed to the official that he only rolled the ball back for Simon Mignolet to take the set piece. Yet after consulting his assistant, the inexperienced official gave the goal.

But the Black Cats deservedly found an equaliser through Bent in the 27th minute from the penalty spot, after the controversial Attwell adjudged Christian Poulson to have stopped the flight of Ahmed Elmohamady's cross.

The Black Cats then took control of the competitive clash and bossed the remainder of the half and where unfortunate not to take a first half lead into the break.

Returning captain Lee Cattermole gave a statement of intent after only one minute 36 seconds when putting his first opponent on his backside. The foul nearly led to Liverpool scoring. Fortunately Torres' strike was ruled out for offside from Gerrard free-kick. In between Turner flashed a volley over the bar for Sunderland, while Raul Meireless and Martin Skrtel both had efforts either comfortably saved or limp weakly for Liverpool.

The second half sprung into life after only two minutes when Bent made it 2-1 when he got his head on a superb whipped cross from Nedum Onuoha from close range. But despite the visitors' dominance the hosts got back on level terms when Gerrard headed past Mignolet in the 64th minute from a Torres cross from the right.

Soon after Attwell should have sent off Joe Cole for a lunge on Onuoha while Gerrard was lucky to escape with only a yellow card for an elbow in the face of Danny Welbeck after the break.

The Black Cats continued to show they were the best team on the day, and apart from the last five minutes of the game where they came under some increased pressure, did the Reds look like taking three points.

Liverpool (4-5-1): Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Konchesky (Agger 28); Kuyt, Meireles, Poulsen (Ngog, 61) , Cole, Gerrard, Torres.

Subs not used: Jones, Kyrgiakos, Babel, Lucas, Jovanovic, Rodriguez Sunderland (4-5-1):Mignolet, Onuoha, Bramble, Turner, Bardsley, Elmohamady, Cattermole, Henderson, Malbranque (Riveros 88), Welbeck 6 (Gyan 82,) Bent (Zenden 90).

Subs not used: Gordon, Da Silva, Colback, Reid,