Gerrard 64

Liverpool’s disjointed display against a lively Sunderland side was overshadowed by young referee Stuart Attwell, who wrote all the headlines with a series of significant errors, the worst leading directly to Liverpool’s opening goal.

Sunderland defender Michael Turner side-footed the ball towards keeper Simon Mignolet for him to take a free-kick.

Liverpool’s Fernando Torres took possession and ran towards goal before squaring the ball to Dirk Kuyt who scored.

Turner clearly hadn’t taken the free-kick and Attwell had been looking away when it happened. But Attwell gave the goal, even after consulting his assistant.

Sunderland equalised with a Darren Bent penalty after a clear handball by Liverpool’s Christian Poulsen.

And Bent doubled his tally three minutes into the second half, with a fine diving header from Nedum Onuoha’s inch-perfect right-wing cross.

This came after moments after Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina went unpunished despite flattening Danny Wellbeck in the penalty area.

And Wellbeck was later felled by a Steven Gerrard elbow, Attwell booking the Liverpool captain when he should have dismissed him.

By then, Gerrard had equalised from a twice-deflected Torres cross. And Daniel Agger missed a simple close-range header in stoppage time, which would have given Liverpool a fortuitous victory.