Sunderland lost to Liverpool — what are the main positives and negatives that we can take away from the performance?

Liverpool edged an uninspiring encounter at the Stadium of Light.

It was not a night for guile and finesse, but Liverpool showed the determination they've been missing in a win over Sunderland.

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Virgil van Dijk scored the game's only goal just after the hour mark, and Liverpool escaped the Stadium of Light with a supremely well-earned victory: 1-0 over Sunderland, the scrappy Black Cats' first home defeat all season.

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Arne Slot praised Mohamed Salah after the "unbelievable" Egypt star equalled Liverpool's record for assists in the Premier League by setting up Virgil van Dijk's winner in Wednesday's 1-0 victory at Sunderland.

Virgil van Dijk’s goal was enough to seal three points at the Stadium of Light and end the hosts’ unbeaten home run after a first half in which Liverpool missed several chances before Endo’s injury added to their right-back concerns.