Bruce deflated as Reds get revenge for the beach ball

IN football, as in life, what goes around, comes around.

Sunderland might have had their beach ball, but Liverpool trumped it on this occasion with a Friend in high places.

Steve Bruce admitted his side used up an entire season’s luck when they sealed a rare win over the Reds thanks to Darren Bent’s goal with its famed inflatable help 18 months ago. So the Sunderland manager shouldn’t have been too surprised that Dirk Kuyt’s crucial first-half deadlock-breaking goal came accompanied by a large slice of luck.

Kenny Dalglish’s side had been under the cosh when John Mensah, starting as he meant to go on in a nightmare display, made a hash of an attempted clearance as he went to chest the ball down, to see him robbed by quick-thinking Jay Spearing.

The lumbering Ghanaian defender recovered to get back and challenge the midfielder, making contact just outside the area as Spearing’s momentum took him into the box. Referee Kevin Friend was set to award a free-kick on the edge until his assistant Billy Smallwood stepped in to convince him it was a penalty.

It was a ruling that was controversial, to say the least, and left Bruce predictably perplexed. “If we’ve had a bit of fortune, we’ll take it,” Dalglish conceded.

Kuyt ignored the protests to send Simon Mignolet the wrong way from the spot for the Dutchman’s fourth goal in two Premier League games 12 minutes before the break to keep up Liverpool’s regal league form under King Kenny. Luis Suarez added a stunning second with time running out to make it 20 points from 10 games under the Scot to see Liverpool pull within four points of Tottenham in the race for fifth place, the only way the Merseyside club can now ensure they don’t miss out on Europe for the first time this Millennium.

For their part, Sunderland’s challenge for Europe is all but at an end, and their chairman Niall Quinn was more concerned afterwards with ensuring the club aren’t dragged into a battle for survival after taking just one point from the last six games. They haven’t won at home since New Year’s Day.

Bruce added his name to the growing call for the use of TV replay technology in the wake of Liverpool’s disputed opener, and he admitted: “The penalty killed us and it turned into one of those horrible afternoons. Up until their goal there wasn’t very much in it but that was the turning point.

“Maybe it’s time for technology to be brought into play. I knew and (fourth official) Martin Atkinson knew within five seconds it was outside the box, and maybe it’s time to bring in technology.

“The referee was correct, he was stood 10 yards away and made the right decision but unfortunately he listened to his assistant who was 80 yards away, who shouldn’t have been involved.”

Sunderland made most of the early running, but still went in a goal down after failing to make the most of their dominance.

They weren’t helped by seeing Sulley Muntari and Kieran Richardson limp off inside the first 25 minutes to force Bruce into a significant midfield reshuffle.

Before Kuyt’s clinical penalty, Liverpool’s two best chances arrived inside the first five minutes. Andy Carroll, on his first Premier League start for the club following his record-breaking £35m move from Newcastle, rose well at a Raul Meireles corner to head down for Kuyt, whose close-range effort was blocked on the line by keeper Mignolet.

Kuyt then headed the resulting corner just over but Sunderland soon recovered from their shaky start to take the lion’s share of the ball. However, they didn’t convert that into chances, and it took a great one-handed save low down to his left from Mignolet to prevent Suarez doubling the lead before the break.

Sunderland were rocking again soon after as Lee Cattermole, on as a first-half substitute for his first appearance in almost three months, cleared Carroll’s effort off the line when the lurking forward was given a free header three yards out.

Friend angered Bruce again when before the hour he called play back for a Liverpool free-kick after allowing Meireles to fire just over following a Titus Bramble foul on Carroll. Suarez sent the 25-yard set-piece inches wide.

Only a stunning late save from Mignolet kept out Spearing’s 20-yard thunderbolt before Suarez stole into the box at a quick throw to double the lead from the tightest of angles with 13 minutes left.

Mensah capped a day to forget for him and Sunderland, earning a red card after tangling with Suarez as they competed for a hefty Pepe Reina clearance, the nearest the Liverpool keeper got to the action on a day he could have been charged admission, such was his lack of work.