Sunderland 1 - 0 Liverpool

Darren Bent’s eighth goal of the season handed Sunderland a victory over Liverpool in controversial circumstances.

The £10million striker’s fifth-minute shot was deflected past keeper Pepe Reina by a beach ball which had been thrown on to the pitch, although the Reds’ protests were in vain.

Bent might have collected at least a hat-trick on a day when Rafael Benitez’s injury-hit side were nowhere near their best, although keeper Craig Gordon had to make a fine double save in injury time to deny Dirk Kuyt and then substitute David Ngog.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez made wholesale changes for this afternoon’s Barclays Premier League trip to Sunderland in the midst of a selection crisis.

With Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres both sidelined by groin injuries and Javier Mascherano suffering the after-effects of his World Cup exploits with Argentina, Benitez had little option but to turn to other options.

Mascherano, Emiliano Insua and Albert Riera dropped to the bench as Daniel Agger, Fabio Aurelio, Yossi Benayoun, Ryan Babel and, making his league debut for the club, 20-year-old midfielder Jay Spearing came in.

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce made only one change to the side which drew 2-2 at Manchester United last time out as George McCartney replaced the suspended Kieran Richardson.

The Reds lined up with skipper Jamie Carragher in the middle of a back three and Glen Johnson and Aurelio operating as wing-backs, while Benayoun and Babel were asked to provide the support for Dirk Kuyt in attack.

But it was the home side who created the game’s first chance with two minutes gone, although Andy Reid sliced his left-foot effort high and wide from 20 yards.

However, they took the lead three minutes later in controversial circumstances.

Lee Cattermole fed Reid on the right and his cross fell invitingly for Darren Bent beyond the far post.

The striker shot towards goal, but his effort hit a large red ball which had been thrown on to the pitch from behind Pepe Reina’s goal, and the deflection completely wrong-footed the keeper, whose protests fell on deaf ears after referee Mike Jones had consulted his assistant.

Liverpool were furious, and their woes might have increased moments later when Black Cats skipper Lorik Cana met Reid’s corner with a firm header, but he could not hit the target.

The visitors responded with 13 minutes gone when keeper Craig Gordon got a punch to Kuyt’s right-wing cross, but did not clear his lines completely, and when the ball eventually fell to Babel 10 yards out, the Scot did well to block his shot on the turn.

The Holland international went close again four minutes later, although his rising drive cleared the bar comfortably, but Reina was relieved to see Bent head straight at him from Reid’s 22nd-minute cross.

Liverpool created a rare opening after 26 minutes when Johnson’s vision earned them some respite at the back.

His raking long ball found Benayoun wide on the left, and the Israel international cut inside before going for goal, although his effort was deflected behind for a corner.

Sunderland dealt with the set-piece, but as Spearing attempted to collect the clearance, he was tripped by Steed Malbranque 22 yards out.

Aurelio curled the resulting free-kick around the defensive wall left-footed, but his effort flew past the upright.

Kuyt was booked for a 29th-minute challenge on Michael Turner, and Reid’s wind-assisted free-kick almost caught out Reina as the back-pedalled towards his line.

The game was becoming increasingly physical and Agger was fortunate to escape with a booking for a crude challenge on Cattermole as he tried to break clear down the right 14 minutes before the break.

Liverpool were repeatedly stretched when the Black Cats attacked, and Benitez was a constant presence in the technical area as he attempted to find a solution.

But things could have been worse for the Spaniard when Bent met full-back Phil Bardsley’s driven cross with a glancing header, but saw the ball sail agonisingly wide with Reina beaten.

Spearing curled a right-footed shot just too high seconds later, but the half ended with the Wearsiders on top.

Bruce made a change at the break when McCartney failed to re-appear and Jordan Henderson was sent on in his place.

Anton Ferdinand moved to left-back and Cana dropped into central defence to accommodate the newcomer in midfield.

Henderson was involved almost immediately when he sidefooted a shot towards goal, where it was blocked by Carragher amid appeals for handball, but referee Jones was quick to wave the claims away.

Reid was cautioned for a foul on Skrtel as the visitors made a better fist of things in the early stages of the half, but they continued to look vulnerable at the back.

Sunderland might have gone 2-0 up after 55 minutes when they broke from halfway after Cattermole had robbed Spearing.

Jones picked up possession and slid the ball into Bent’s run, and he rounded Reina before shooting, but the goalkeeper recovered superbly to block.

That proved to be Cattermole’s last significant involvement and he was carried off three minutes later holding his knee.

His departure opened the way for former Liverpool midfielder Boudewijn Zenden, who completed his move to Wearside yesterday, to make his debut.

Bent was in again when he latched on to a weak header to beat Reina to the ball and shoot against the foot of the post.

Bruce and Benitez became involved in a furious exchange on the sidelines as the injured Jones was treated on the pitch, with fourth official Neil Swarbrick having to intervene.

But the striker eventually left the field on a stretcher to be replaced by Fraizer Campbell.

Carragher was the Reds’ saviour with 20 minutes remaining when he slid in to block Malbranque’s shot after Bent had played the midfielder in.

However, Benayoun perhaps should have levelled within two minutes after being picked out inside the box, but he was unbalanced as he shot left-footed and lifted the ball high and wide.

Benitez replaced Skrtel and Spearing with Andriy Voronin and Mascherano seconds later, but Henderson fired just wide with 14 minutes remaining as the home side continued to cause problems.

Voronin had an 84th-minute header easily saved by Gordon, who then pulled off a superb double save in injury time to deny Kuyt and substitute David Ngog to ensure the points remained on Wearside.