Sunderland 2 Liverpool 2

Having scored 20 goals in the previous 12 months, Defoe is already up and running in 2017 with a deadly double from the penalty spot – one in each half – to help earn a depleted Sunderland squad a hard-earned point.

Jurgen Klopp’s team have brushed teams aside with ease at times this season and a couple of hours after Sunderland had been humiliated at Burnley on Saturday, Liverpool claimed a valuable win against Pep Guardiola’s expensively assembled Manchester City.

On two occasions at the Stadium of Light it had looked as if Liverpool would reduce the gap to leaders Chelsea to three points. Both times, though, Sunderland, and Defoe, pegged them back.

Defoe converted the first of two penalties six minutes after Daniel Sturridge headed Liverpool in front in the 19th minute. When Sadio Mane restored Liverpool’s advantage 18 minutes before the end, Defoe did the same again to earn a point eight minutes from time.

The latest brace of the prolific and 34-year-old front-man - taking his tally for the season to 11 (five penalties) - will only fuel the interest in him from clubs after the opening of the January transfer window.

If Sunderland want to stay up this season, it is imperative they keep Defoe until the summer at least, even if he will have West Ham trying to take him back to his southern roots.

Defoe’s double might not have been enough to lift Sunderland out of the bottom three this time, although it was a further reminder they will not be able to cope without him if they are to stand any chance of heading in an upward direction.

After the torture of Turf Moor, Moyes’ task hadn’t been made any easier 48 hours later. As well as Billy Jones’ one-match suspension to cope with, neither Victor Anichebe nor Lamine Kone could shrug off the hamstring and hip problems sustained on New Year’s Eve.

That meant three changes, with Donald Love, Didier Ndong and Jack Rodwell all introduced to the starting line-up and the latter two’s appearances allowed Sunderland to play with a straight forward four-man midfield, with Fabio Borini and Seb Larsson providing the width.

It was a ploy that worked too, in the main. Sunderland were lively and put Liverpool under plenty of pressure, even if they did fall behind. There had been chances at both ends before that, with Defoe the first to test a keeper when Simon Mignolet held a distance drive from the striker.

There had been a couple of half chances for the hosts too, although Vito Mannone, criticised for his part in the poor display at Burnley, looked in more determined and confident mood at the other end. He had already made a couple of strong one handed saves from Sturridge and Georginio Wijnaldum before the opener came.

James Milner’s corner was floated towards the 18 yard line where Dejan Lovren volleyed goalwards. The ball ended up bouncing up towards Sturridge, who flicked an instinctive header over Mannone and it dropped into the net.

It was his fourth appearance in a row that Sturridge had scored against Sunderland and it would have been easy to opine that he would go on from there and help Liverpool to claim the points comfortably.

Sunderland had other ideas. Sunderland may still have conceded the larger share of the possession to Klopp’s effective approach and yet the home side managed to pull level and could have taken the lead.

Ndong, playing his final game before heading to Gabon for the Africa Cup of Nations, twisted and turned his way through Wijnaldum and Ragnar Klavan and the latter tripped him. Referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot.

Defoe followed up his Burnley consolation by converting from the spot; picking out Mignolet’s bottom right corner with a solidly struck penalty that had too much on it for the keeper.

Seconds later there was almost a second. Adnan Januzaj’s through pass was perfect for Defoe to run onto. The prolific striker, who looked to the assistant referee to see if there was a flag, seemed surprised that the whistle didn’t arrive.

Ndong, who cleverly stopped running, had been offside, while Defoe wasn’t but former Sunderland goalkeeper Mignolet was alert and responded with a strong left hand to prevent Defoe from adding a second.

After that Liverpool took control of the half and Mannone had to make a couple of half decent saves to keep Sunderland level at the break. Nevertheless Moyes and his players had reached the break in decent shape, but needed to avoid the sort of collapse that happened at Burnley.

The problem that Sunderland looked like they could encounter as the game wore on was a lack of options from the bench, highlighted by the presence of youngsters Josh Maja, George Honeyman, Elliot Embleton and Michael Ledger.

Yet those already on the pitch were doing a decent enough job anyway, and might have had a second penalty earlier had referee Taylor pointed to the spot when Januzaj’s attempted pass flicked up on to the arm of Can. There was contact, although it not a clear cut spot-kick despite the criticism from the Sunderland contingent.

And for all of Liverpool’s superior possession and attacking talent, Mannone’s goal was not under threat anywhere near as much as would have been expected in the second half. When he did have something to do, it tended to be to hold an effort from distance – until the second did arrive with 18 minutes remaining.

Mannone had made an excellent stop with his leg to deny Sturridge after a clever exchange of passes, and a backheel, with Lallana. From the corner Sunderland’s Italian keeper could not do anything to prevent it.

When the corner was floated to the near post, Papy Djilobodji moved and flicked it into the path of Mane to convert; any claims for offside were unfounded because of the Sunderland defender’s touch in the play.

Mane soon went from villain to hero on Wearside in Sunderland’s eyes, for ridiculously sticking out an arm to stop Larsson’s goalbound free-kick with six minutes remaining.

Defoe didn’t need a second invitation to level again, this time sending Mignolet the wrong way from the spot, and Sunderland’s packed Stadium of Light had a point to savour – and to offer some hope once more.