Sunderland 1 Liverpool 0
Stu Vose

Darren Bent was the goal hero once again as his early strike secured Sunderland's fifth successive home win and a first victory over Liverpool since December 2002.

The £10m striker fired home after just six minutes in front of a capacity crowd - his goal ironically taking a nick off a beach ball thrown onto the pitch from the Liverpool end.

And Steve Bruce's Black Cats could have added to their winning margin but for the interventions of visiting keeper Pepe Reina and the woodwork.

The win takes the men from Wearside on to 16 points, level with fifth-placed Manchester City - a just reward for a committed, uptempo display which is quickly becoming a trademark.

Bruce and his side also overcame the triple blow of losing George McCartney - restored to an otherwise unchanged side - Lee Cattermole and Kenwyne Jones to injury.

Backed by a capacity crowd, Sunderland made a quick start and Andy Reid fired off a shot within two minutes, soon countered by Glen Johnson at the other end.

Reid broke down the left and his cross missed Malbranque at the front post but found Bent at the back.  Sunderland's leading scorer had the time to compose himself before firing off a shot which cannoned into the offending beach ball loitering on the pitch and flashed beyond a completely helpless Reina.

Liverpool's protestations with first the referee and then his assistant came to nought as Sunderland's opener stood - with Bent clearly delighted to have claimed his eighth goal of the campaign.

Stung by the goal and well aware of the recent criticisms perhaps unfairly levelled at them, Liverpool responded well and Sunderland were grateful for Phil Bardsley for hacking the ball clear from inside the six-yard box after Ryan Babel knocked the ball towards goal with Craig Gordon stranded.

Sunderland's Scottish international stopper also saw Fabio Aurelio and then Babel flash shots narrowly off-target, with the latter coming closest as he twisted and turned to find an angle from the edge of the box.

But still Liverpool looked nervous as their hosts defended from the front and showed they were more than prepared to mix it all over the pitch.  Bent's back-post header straight at Reina gave further notice of their intentions, and Bardsley got in on the act with a well-struck shot from distance which zipped just over.

Then, after Aurelio dropped a free-kick just wide, Bardsley was in the thick of it once again with a saving tackle to deny Liverpool's Johnson on the half-hour as the England full-back looked to meet a lucky break dropping in the box.

And it was Bardsley again just before the break, whipping in a super cross from the right which Bent glanced narrowly off-target having already beaten a stretching Reina to the ball. 

At the other end, Liverpool youngster Jay Spearing responded with an off-target blast which really should have tested Gordon with the midfielder in plenty of space 20 yards out.

With the first half ticking away, Sunderland captain Lorik Cana rounded out the half with a shot from distance which dropped just over the top after receiving the ball just inside the Liverpool half and advancing to within 35 yards of goal.

Boss Bruce replaced McCartney with Jordan Henderson at half-time, rounding off a big seven days for the youngster, who signed a new deal at the Stadium of Light earlier this week.

With the second half just ten minutes old, Cattermole won the ball well and slipped the ball to Jones, who in turn played strike partner Bent in one-on-one with Reina.

Bent looked set to slot home as he took the ball around Reina, but the Liverpool stopper won out at the very last second when he sprawled low to repel the frontman's goalbound shot.

The interception was to be Cattermole's last real action of the game as he departed on a stretcher just a couple of minutes later after being caught in a challenge.

New signing Bolo Zenden climbed off the bench to make his Sunderland debut to a rapturous reception from the Stadium of Light crowd as the hosts cranked up the pressure.

Martin Skrtel had the woodwork to thank on 61 minutes as his header to Reina dropped short and Bent nipped in to slam a shot against the post from an acute angle.

Bruce then lost Jones to injury - replacing him with Fraizer Campbell - before almost seeing his side double their advantage.

Bent's neat touch sent Malbranque racing away, but the winger delayed his shot as he bore down on Reina, allowing a defender to race back and get in a crucial challenge.

Yossi Benayoun twice popped up in dangerous positions either side of Malbranque's chance, but couldn't fashion a real test for Gordon on either occasion.

Jordan Henderson volleyed just wide with 14 minutes left, but much of the remainder belonged to Liverpool as Gordon saved from sub Andriy Voronin and tipped a deep cross from Johnson out from almost under his own bar.

The tension achieved new heights as seven minutes of time were added on and Craig Gordon spread himself to deny first Dirk Kuyt and then sub David N'Gog from point-blank range.

One could cut the atmosphere with a knife as the shrill whistles rained down from the stands, but Bruce's battlers - including Lorik Cana as a centre-back throughout the second half - weathered the storm comfortably to move above Liverpool in some style.

The full-time whistle sparked joyous scenes as Bruce and his Black Cats sent yet another telling message to their top-flight counterparts.

SAFC: Gordon, Bardsley, McCartney (Henderson, 46), Turner, Ferdinand, Reid, Malbranque, Cana (C), Cattermole (Zenden, 57), Jones (Campbell, 66), Bent.

Subs Not Used: Fulop, Nosworthy, Healy, Da Silva.

Booked: Cana (8).

Sent Off: None.

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Agger, Aurelio, Benayoun, Kuyt, Babel (N'Gog, 81), Lucas, Carragher, Spearing (Mascherano, 73), Skrtel (Voronin, 73).

Subs Not Used: Cavalieri, Riera, Insua, Kelly.

Booked: Kuyt (29).

Sent Off: None.