Liverpool still pushing strong with 1 point behind Chelsea

Liverpool continued their Premier League title charge, overcoming Sunderland at Anfield yesterday night.



With the Reds thwarted early on, Santiago Vergini was fortunate to stay on the pitch after fouling Luis Suarez. But Steven Gerrard drew the full reward from the free-kick, finding the top corner from 23 yards.

Daniel Sturridge curled in his 20th league goal but, after Ki Sung-Yueng's header, the hosts held on to move above Manchester City into second place.

The Merseyside team, who are chasing their first top-flight title since 1990, earned their seventh consecutive win and are now just a point behind leaders Chelsea, who they welcome to Anfield on 27 April.

They also host Tottenham and City before then and, though those teams may ask more questions than Gus Poyet's struggling side, it was still a well-earned victory against a team which had more of an attacking threat after going two goals behind.

The Black Cats are mired in the relegation zone, three points from safety, so were expected to be cautious.

But once they introduced substitutes Ki and Adam Johnson, they caused some nervy moments among the Anfield crowd with John O'Shea missing the target with a header from six yards out late on.