Chemsdine Talbi immense as 5/10 proves Regis Le Bris wrong – Sunderland player ratings vs Liverpool
Sunderland were unlucky to draw 1-1 with Liverpool on Wednesday evening.
Sunderland have a dismal record against defending champions, and visited Anfield for the first time since January 2017, looking to change that.
Regis Le Bris made two changes from the win over Bournemouth last time out, with Brian Brobbey and Trai Hume coming into the side in place of Bertrand Traore and Wilson Isidor.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah was named on the bench by Arne Slot for the second successive game, and while he came on at half-time, he could not make the required impact.
Chemsdine Talbi shines as Sunderland nearly shock Liverpool
Sunderland were the better team for much of the contest, and that was emphasised most by Chemsdine Talbi.
The Moroccan slammed home a deflected opener in the 68th minute to leave the hosts stunned, after a relatively quiet game from his usual standards, before a Nordi Mukiele equalised levelled proceedings.
The 20-year-old is proving to be an effective player for Le Bris in the biggest games, having already scored the winner against Chelsea in October.
The Frenchman will have to find a solution when he heads to the Africa Cup of Nations later this month, as it will leave a huge deficit in his side’s attacking capabilities.
He had two shots in the contest and one pass into the final third, but still managed to make a massive impact, despite only having 32 touches, per Sofascore.
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Brian Brobbey struggles in Sunderland draw
Brobbey was the hero of Sunderland’s win over Bournemouth, but he could not replicate those heroics this time around.
He cut an isolated figure for the majority of the clash and was replaced by Isidor in the 62nd minute as a result.
The Dutchman had just 13 touches, including one in the opposition box, and failed to record a single shot against the Reds.
It was no surprise that the Mackems’ goal came after he was replaced, as he did not offer the type of outlet that Le Bris needed him to.
He proved that the Frenchman was wrong to start him, and he should remain as an impact player from the bench.
How Sunderland players rated vs Liverpool
Robin Roefs – 7
Trai Hume – 7
Nordi Mukiele – 6
Dan Ballard – 6
Omar Alderete – 7
Reinildo – 7
Granit Xhaka – 6
Noah Sadiki – 6
Chemsdine Talbi – 8 (off for O’Nien, 90)
Brian Brobbey – 5 (off for Isidor, 62)
Enzo Le Fee – 6 (off for Geertruida, 79)
Substitutes:
Wilson Isidor – 5
Lutsharel Geertruida – 5
Luke O’Nien – N/A
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