Liverpool Player Ratings vs Sunderland: Van Dijk, Salah Shine in Gritty 1-0 Win

Liverpool secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on February 11, 2026, becoming the first Premier League team to beat the hosts there this season. In rainy conditions, Virgil van Dijk headed home a Mohamed Salah corner in the second half for the decisive goal, propelling Liverpool back into the top-5 battle.[1][2][3]

Starting XI Ratings

• Alisson Becker (8/10): Commanded his box masterfully in wet weather, no errors.[1]
• Wataru Endo (6/10): Solid in his second EPL start but stretchered off injured.[1]
• Ibrahima Konaté (7/10): Strong recovery runs against Sunderland counters.[1]
• Virgil van Dijk (8/10): Dominant, with multiple chances and the winning header from Salah's corner.[1]
• Cody Gakpo (7/10): Exploited space for quality crosses.[1]
• Andrew Robertson (6/10): Reliable shift, though not flashy.[1]
• Florian Wirtz (5/10): Hit the post but overhit a key pass to Salah; mixed performance.[1]
• Mohamed Salah (8/10): Won wing battles, delivered inch-perfect corner assist—his 91st in EPL, tying Steven Gerrard.[1]
• Alexis Mac Allister (5/10): Quiet game; needs more from a player of his class.[1]
• Ryan Gravenberch (5/10): Largely anonymous.[1]
• Hugo Ekitiké (7/10): Speed blunted by pitch, but created chances.[1]

Substitutes

• Joseph Gomez (7/10): Solid at the back during late Sunderland pressure.[1]
• Curtis Jones (6/10): Promising run and shot soon after entering.[1]
• Federico Chiesa (6/10): Late cameo with minimal impact.[1]

Man of the Match: Mohamed Salah for his assist milestone and all-around influence. Liverpool's defense held firm despite conditions, edging a vital win in the Premier League title race.[1][3]

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