AFTER the previous seven days that Liverpool had experienced the political phrase of the moment was apt: things could only get better.
Nowhere was this more likely to happen than at gloomy, doomy Roker Park and Liverpool's victory must be assessed against an increasingly frantic Sunderland. Yes, Liverpool are still very much involved in the title race and, yes, they were much improved from their French disconnection, but only the most one-eyed of supporters would declare that this side are presently a match for Manchester United.
We shall see next Saturday morning, of course, although Liverpool face Everton on Wednesday. Another three points then would put them level with United, but while Roy Evans acknowledged that Liverpool's fate is back within their own control, he did add: "We've probably got the toughest run-in. But, we're in the right frame of mind and we have got to think positively."
After the Coventry flap and the Paris flop changes had to be made to the Liverpool line-up and missing from last Thursday were Dominic Matteo, Jason McAteer and Stan Collymore.
As the latter was "injured" ("honest" said Evans, laughing) and McAteer suspended, Evans had not made massive switches in personnel. However, what was noticeably different was Liverpool's attitude. It took about 15 minutes for it to become evident, but once Steve McManaman and John Barnes gelled, Liverpool clicked into rhythm.
Consequently, Sunderland found themselves outnumbered in midfield and by the 20th minute the visitors had fashioned three good openings. From the last of these, Lionel Perez made the first of a few important interventions when he dived and smartly blocked from Robbie Fowler, but the only man to have left France with any credit scored shortly after.
Stig Bjornebye's inswinging corner was headed away first time, but the Norwegian collected the clearance and his second centre found Mark Wright at the far post. Wright out-jumped Perez and supplied Fowler with a simple tap-in from four yards.
Two minutes into the second halt Fowler latched on to a curling Bjornebye pass and his first-time centre was met on the run by McManaman and a 10th goal of the season for him was a certainty. Roker's dejection was palpable, there is obviously a belief that relegation is a probability rather than a possibility and yet with over a third of the game remaining, they had pulled one back and were scrambling for an equaliser.
It was Paul Stewart who gave the Wearsiders hope with a forehead flick to a zipping Chris Waddle corner and with Niall Quinn on for Kubicki they had a certain if incoherent momentum.
