Premier League: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 2

For the second time in two seasons this fixture was decided in controversial circumstances.

Last season it was the infamous ‘beach-ball’ goal which sealed the fate of the three points – Darren Bent’s shot deflecting off an inflatable balloon to wrong-foot the hapless Pepe Reina.

This season it was a case of the ‘penalty’ that never was, when Sunderland defender John Mensah brought down Liverpool’s Jay Spearing a couple of yards outside the box in the 32nd minute.

Referee Kevin Friend went to award a free-kick, but under the insistent instructions of the linesman on the opposite side of the pitch, he pointed to the spot.

By then, replays clearly showed that the tackle had happened outside the area, but the decision stood and Liverpool’s top scorer, Dirk Kuyt, strode up to the spot to send keeper Simon Mignolet the wrong way.

It was hard lines on Sunderland who had been marginally the better side in the opening half-hour but had failed to test Reina.

Unfortunately for the home side that proved to be the story of their afternoon – some fine football and attractive approach play but no cutting edge despite the inclusion of fit-again striker Danny Welbeck for the first time since the opening week of 2011.

What Liverpool lacked in terms of possession, they more than made up for with their goal threat – Dirk Kuyt pulling the strings, Luis Suarez always looking dangerous on the shoulder of the last defender and Andy Carroll – though only half fit – won most of the balls lofted his way.

Sunderland were not helped by injuries – Sulley Muntari and Kieran Richardson subbed before the midway point of the first-half – and with them struggling to find clear-cut goalscoring opportunities, the intervention of linesman Smallwood was always likely to be crucial.

Sunderland started the second-half as positively as they had the first but once again it was Liverpool who created the clearest goalscoring opportunities, regularly hitting Sunderland on the break.

The Black Cats did not test Pepe Reina until the 86th minute when substitute Lee Cattermole’s long-range effort was comfortably gathered but by then the contest was effectively over.

Liverpool, having gone close several times already, finally doubled their lead in the 75th when Suarez drove in from the right-hand corner flag and, just a couple of yards in from the goal-line, drove home a rising shot which beat Mignolet.

It was a goal from the acutest of angles, the mark of a world-class finisher and Mignolet only conceded it because he was moving out expecting the cross instead of the most audacious of efforts.

From there, there was no way back for Sunderland, whose misery was compounded when Mensah, booked for that foul which led to the penalty, was red carded in the 84th minute for his second bookable offence – pulling back the irrepressible Suarez.