LIVERPOOL, England, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Liverpool's blushes were spared as Florian Wirtz's shot was deflected in off Nordi Mukiele to salvage a 1-1 draw with Sunderland at Anfield on Wednesday after Chemsdine Talbi had put the visitors ahead.
The champions, whose 2-0 victory over West Ham United on Sunday ended their worst run in over 70 years, remained eighth in the table on 22 points, 11 behind leaders Arsenal after another worrying performance.
Their late equaliser spared them from what would have been a 10th defeat in 14 games across all competitions.
The visitors, who are sixth on 23 points, were the better team for much of the game and looked poised to taste victory for the first time at Anfield since 1983 after Talbi scored in the 67th minute. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk gave the ball away and Talbi's shot then deflected off him into the net past Alisson.
But German Wirtz, one of the Reds' key summer signings, celebrated what he thought was his first goal for Liverpool in the 81st minute to draw the home side level. Wirtz cut around two defenders before unleashing a shot, but its deflection off Mukiele meant it was awarded as an own goal.
"We wanted to win and we got the draw so unlucky," Wirtz told Sky Sports. "We are on a good way to come back and we are doing everything to come back and win games. We wanted the win today, we want to be on top of the table and we just have to keep working hard and hopefully things will change."
Sunderland's Wilson Isidor squandered a brilliant chance to win it in added time when he raced through on goal and around Alisson, but his shot was cleared off the line by Federico Chiesa.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot left talisman Mohamed Salah out of his starting lineup for the second successive game amid the Egyptian's poor run of form, but he started the second half and injected much-needed pace and energy after Liverpool's lethargic first half.
CHANCES MISSED
Wirtz missed a terrific chance for his first Liverpool goal early in the game after goalkeeper Robin Roefs carelessly gave the ball away, but Wirtz's stab toward the net rolled just wide of the post.
Dominik Szoboszlai unleashed a long shot just before halftime that Roefs punched over the crossbar, and then seconds later Joe Gomez whipped in a cross that Alexis Mac Allister headed just wide of the post.
Sunderland's Trai Hume nearly put the visitors on the scoresheet early in the game with a shot from distance that Alisson palmed off the crossbar.
"I'm not disappointed, to be fair, because it's a good point, especially in this place, it's a privilege to play here," Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris told Sky.
"We played our football, happy with the first half. Even during halftime, we spoke together to push a bit more just because we played well, but without probably the belief that it was possible to score, and we did it in the second half."
Liverpool have failed to win any of their matches after conceding first in the Premier League since a victory over Tottenham Hotspur on April 27.
"(It was) a game where we didn’t concede a lot and we didn’t create a lot," Slot told Sky. "And today of course very unlucky with the goal we conceded. A deflection that can go anywhere but unfortunately it goes in.
"We tried everything to make the winner but in the end we were lucky as well because they went 1-on-1 with Alisson."
(Reporting by Lori EwingEditing by Toby Davis and Pritha Sarkar)
