Premiership: Owen goal seals Reds' win

Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1

Michael Owen scored the only goal at Sunderland, as Liverpool moved to second, a point behind leaders Arsenal.

He struck with a beautiful chip 10 minutes after the break. Sunderland had Claudio Reyna sent off a minute from time for a second bookable offence after a rash challenge on Owen.

Sunderland's Premiership status is yet to be mathematically assured, but the bulk of those in a record crowd of 48,355 were able to applaud a rousing performance, in which Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips both went close to an equaliser.

The influential John Arne Riise was first to test Thomas Sorensen with a viciously dipping long-range effort with 10 minutes gone, and he went close again six minutes later when he blazed a rising shot over the top.

Jason McAteer caused Jerzy Dudek his only real moment of concern with a drive which sailed just over on the half hour, but Jody Craddock blocked shots from Litmanen and Riise in quick succession as the visitors started to turn the screw.

Craddock again came to the rescue a minute before the break after Anelka raced away down the left and squared for Owen, but the defender threw himself into the line of fire to protect Sorensen's goal.

Sunderland returned after the break buoyed by their first-half display, and went close twice within seconds, Stephane Henchoz denying Gavin McCann with a last-ditch tackle and Quinn powering a back post header wide from Kevin Kilbane's teasing cross.

At the other end, Anelka blazed high over after being set up by Owen, but it was the England striker who broke the deadlock with 55 minutes gone.

Gerrard's defence-splitting pass put him in on goal, but the cool chip which defeated the advancing Sorensen was from the top drawer.

The Wearsiders stepped up a gear in a desperate attempt to force their way back into the game, and Quinn produced a fine save from Dudek with a 67th-minute volley.

But the game should have been beyond them with 72 minutes gone when Anelka again raced clear and twisted his way past both Joachim Bjorklund and Darren Williams before beating Sorensen, only to see his left-footed shot come back off the post.

Dudek climbed high to pluck a Phillips shot out of his top corner five minutes later, but he could only look on in hope two minutes later as Phillips arrived to meet another Kilbane cross at the near post but put his header wide.

Sunderland threw everything they had at the visitors in the closing stages but their disappointment was compounded at the death when Reyna lunged at Owen and, having already been booked, received his marching orders.