Liverpool welcome Sunderland to Anfield as the underfire club look to bounce back from their midweek Carling Cup debacle against League Two side Northampton.

Poulsen is penalised for a foul on Cattermole... the Dane doesn't like it, but Sunderland have another free-kick...

Raul Meireles clips a lovely cross into the Sunderland box but Bramble is there to head clear for the Black Cats.

Bent looks for Welbeck with a cute little pass but it pings off the youngster's shin and out for a goal kick.

That was Bent's third penalty of the season. No other Premier League player has scored more than one. (Infostrada)

But Henderson's free-kick is awful - high over Reina's bar.

Carragher nudges Bent in the back and Sunderland have another free-kick. Liverpool are on the ropes a bit at the moment.

Henderson takes it to the near post... Elmohamady is there but his volley is high and wide.

That's all for Konchesky for today... he hobbles off and Dan Agger comes on. His first action will be to defend the corner.

Konchesky concedes a corner with a sliding tackle and stays down! He looks in trouble here...

Game on! What can Sunderland do now? They're in the ascendency now! And to be honest, they deserved that equaliser.

GOAL! BENT FIRES HOME! And Sunderland are back on level terms! Reina nearly gets there, but the shot has too much power on it and it squeezes under his body!

PENALTY TO SUNDERLAND! Hand ball against Poulsen as Elmohamady's chipped cross strikes his arm!

Reina again in trouble under pressure from Welbeck as he tries to clear... he does eventually...

What a run by Skrtel... he brings the bal from deep inside his own half all the way to the edge of the Sunderland penalty box! But his final shot does not match the run, and he drags the ball well wide.

Raul Meireles lets fly with a first-time effort from Kuyt's square pass... straight at Mignolet and easy for the Belgian to take.

Another poor pass by Gerrard... it's way behind Johnson who has to retreat back into his own half to retrieve it.

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has won only one of his five career Premier League matches against Sunderland – Fulham’s 1-0 victory at Craven Cottage in December 2009.

Gerrard now makes a hash of a header back to Reina..... it's straight to Bent! But Reina is off his line quickly to lunge at Bent's feet and win the ball!

Torres goes down in a heap in the box under Turner's challenge as he looks to get on the end of a long ball forward from Johnson... Penalty scream the Kop... play on says referee Attwell.

Sunderland have had 60 per cent of the possession so far... Liverpool have been the more decisive though.

Cole now shows some invention on the Liverpool left... but he's stopped in his tracks soon enough.