Liverpool started their challenge for a Premiership title with a narrow victory over Sunderland when the two teams met at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Fernando Torres scored the only goal of the match seven minutes from full time as the visitors struggled to create any real chances for much of the game. Daryl Murphy wasted a golden chance for Sunderland who put up yet another gritty display and came very close to claiming a point.

New signing Robbie Keane started the game alongside Torres but failed to influence the match and was substituted midway through the second half. Liverpool looked short of form at the start of the match and it was Sunderland who created the majority of the chances in the first half with El-Hadji Diouf coming close to marking his debut for Sunderland by scoring against his old club.

The Black Cats almost took the lead midway through the first half when Diouf found Murphy with a brilliant cross but the Republic of Ireland striker could only manage to head the ball straight to Pepe Reina.

Liverpool slowly settled down to a patient passing game but were unable to create any chances in the first half. Diouf nearly broke the deadlock soon after the interval but was unable to connect his shot properly after racing forward to meet Murphy's cross.

Liverpool's first real chance of the match fell to Yossi Benayoun who saw his shot saved brilliantly by Craig Gordon. With time ticking away, Liverpool finally took the lead in the 83rd minute when Torres latched on to the ball and smashed it past Gordon from 25 yards out to collect all three points for his side.