SUNDERLAND frustrated Liverpool for the majority of the game at Anfield only for Divock Origi and James Milner, from the spot, to score in the closing stages to wrap up the points for the Reds. Here are four of the main issues from the afternoon.

TEAM UNITED

After two wins in a row ahead of the trip to Liverpool there was always going to be a new sense of confidence, but what must please David Moyes is how his team are playing.

Even though Sunderland lost for the ninth time this season, there were clear signs again that Moyes’ methods on the training ground are having an effect.

Sunderland defended as a unit from start to finish and when they attacked they did so together. Liverpool were made to work hard for the points because Sunderland’s players, from front to back, stuck to the game plan.

MAN MARKING

It would have been easy for Moyes to ask Jason Denayer to slot back in at the heart of the defence in the absence of Papy Djilobodji, but he had other ideas.

Denayer was asked to follow Philippe Coutinho around wherever his movement got him and that is exactly what he did before the Brazilian went off injured just after half an hour.

Sunderland’s Belgian, who had a trial at Liverpool a few years ago as a teenager, was superb in his tracking back and Coutinho’s exit actually helped him to have an even better game because he had freedom to go in other directions.

EXTRA FULL-BACKS

Part of the Moyes masterplan was for the winger – Duncan Watmore and Victor Anichebe – to effectively operate as full-backs when Liverpool had the ball.

Anichebe, often criticised for his workrate at his other clubs, got through a tremendous amount of graft in a role you would not normally associate him with.

Time after time he was running back to help provide support to Patrick van Aanholt, who was part of a back four which played closer together and became a six with Watmore and Anichebe.

In the end the tactics didn’t end claiming anything from Liverpool, but there can be no disguising Sunderland’s plan to spoil things and try to nick something almost came off.

MANAGERIAL DUEL

It was a sign of how well Sunderland did to stifle Liverpool that Jurgen Klopp even had to rally the fans early in the second half.

There were signs of frustration among the home supporters when Jordan Henderson misplaced a pass, so he turned to the supporters and urged them to get behind the team in a crazy manner.

At that stage he looked like a manager who had fears that Liverpool may not be able to break Sunderland down and frustrations threatened to boil over between the two dug-outs as the minutes ticked by.

Moyes must have felt his masterplan stood a chance of working, but then Origi’s goal with quarter of an hour remaining did the damage.

MANAGERIAL REACTION

David Moyes said: “I thought we did well that their manager had to get the crowd going. The lads did very well but just couldn't quite hang on. In the end it wasn't enough but this is probably the best attacking team in the Premier League.

“It's the last place you want to come after two wins. We did have a good chance through Duncan Watmore. Then they scored, I don't know if it was a shot or a cross. The crowd did get right behind them, and seem to be with the manager.

“Today we did a job, it wasn't good enough but I've got to praise my players. They stuck to their task and it wasn't quite enough.”