Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones labels late rescue act in Sunderland draw 'one of those nights' as Arne Slot's side lose momentum again

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Liverpool were forced to rely on a late own goal from Nordi Mukiele to salvage a draw as Sunderland came close to deepening the pressure on head coach Arne Slot. Chemsdine Talbi's 25-yard shot deflected off Virgil van Dijk to put the Black Cats on track for a first away win at Anfield since 1983. Midfielder Curtis Jones saw the same signs in the performance that have plagued Liverpool's season.

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Curtis Jones summed up the mood better than anyone after Liverpool produced another flat performance in their 1-1 draw with Sunderland at Anfield.

After a goalless first half, the Black Cats deservedly broke the deadlock midway through the second period when Chemsdine Talbi's long-range strike clipped Virgil van Dijk and wrong-footed Alisson.

Arne Slot, who had opted to hold Mohamed Salah in reserve for the second game in a row following the 2-0 victory at West Ham, turned to the Egyptian at half-time in an effort to jolt his side into life.

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But the spark never truly arrived as Liverpool created little of substance before Talbi's sucker-punch and their eventual equaliser owed everything to fortune.

With nine minutes remaining, Florian Wirtz's strike took a heavy deflection off Nordi Mukiele and spun past Sunderland keeper Robin Roefs to rescue a point that was slipping away.

Even then, the visitors almost delivered a late twist as deep into stoppage time, substitute Wilson Isidor burst clear and seemed certain to win it, only for Federico Chiesa to sprint back and hook the shot off the line.

Reflecting on another evening of frustration which leaves Liverpool 11 points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, midfielder Jones told Sky Sports: "We've got the guys in the team that can play, score and assist.

"We have asked for more aggressiveness. Flo [Florian Wirtz] ran and tackled and it's just a shame that it goes down as an own goal.

"We are playing against a team that sat back a bit. It's one of those nights again."

It was the lingering feeling around the stadium, as all the noise came from the pocket of Sunderland supporters nestled in the Anfield Road end at full-time.

Liverpool lacked fluency and could not even cling to the silver lining of Wirtz being awarded his first Premier League goal given the wicked deflection his late intervention took off Mukiele.

Slot echoed Jones' sense of deja vu, admitting to Sky Sports: "I think [the performance] was a bit similar to the weekend [against West Ham].

Florian Wirtz's strike deflected in off Nordi Mukiele

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"A game where we didn't concede a lot, we didn't create a lot. Maybe we created a bit more than we conceded. And today, of course, very unlucky with the goal we've conceded. A deflection that could go anywhere, but in this period of time, it goes in."

If the goal irked Slot, the response pleased him.

"I really liked our reaction afterwards," he continued. "You saw a team that wanted to equalise, and when we did, we tried everything to make the winner. In the end, we were lucky as well, because they went one-on-one with Ali [Alisson]."

Slot: We would have lost this game in recent weeks

Even the game's standout defensive moment - the lung-bursting recovery run from Chiesa to hook the ball off the line - was framed by Slot as the embodiment of what he wants from his players.

"That's what you want a team or a player to do in a situation like that. Just give everything… and that's why he cleared the ball off the line."

Yet the manager did not hide from the pattern that is becoming slightly too familiar for comfort.

"It's another game where we probably scored less than we could have scored, and the opponent scored quite well in the few chances he had, making a goal out of them."

Speaking later to the BBC, the Dutchman pinpointed an area that must improve if Liverpool are to fully get their season back on track and challenge for the UEFA Champions League places.

"We weren't lucky enough to get the win over the line but in recent weeks we would have lost this game so that is a positive," he said.

"We are already 14 games in now and we haven't been able to score enough from open play or from set-pieces."

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