Goals from Divock Origi and James Milner helped Liverpool return to the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Sunderland.

Jurgen Klopp’s side headed momentarily to the summit ahead of Chelsea’s early-evening showdown with Tottenham courtesy of the duo’s second-half strikes.

Klopp had named an unchanged starting line-up for the first time in over 40 Premier League games as the Reds aimed to get back to winning ways.

Origi struck his first league goal since April with a long-awaited opener in the 75th minute before a spot kick from Milner in added time sent the hosts back to the top of the table.

Here were the key talking points from the Anfield encounter…

They’re going to need bigger busses

 

David Moyes had admitted that teams will need to park a ‘double-decker bus’ when they face Liverpool this season. It seems even that may not be enough.

The former Everton manager failed where both Southampton and Manchester United had previously succeeded in holding out for a stalemate against the Reds.

For a time, his Sunderland side had appeared destined to follow suit with everything barring a Boeing 747 thrown in the way of their hosts’ front line.

But one thing which Jurgen Klopp’s side have shown this season is that, United and the Saints aside, they have managed to break down defensively stubborn sides.

The rest of the Premier League will need to park some bigger busses at Anfield.

Coutinho fears are very real

 

As Philippe Coutinho slalomed his way through the Sunderland defence, everything had appeared to be going exactly to plan.

And then, in an instant, the balance of Liverpool’s high-flying season threatened to change.

The sight of the Brazilian’s ankle strapped in a brace as he was carried off with an ankle injury threatens to have far-reaching implications for the coming months.

With Sadio Mane heading off to the Africa Cup of Nations in January, Liverpool can ill afford to lose another key figure of its attacking foursome so soon.

Klopp’s ire revives Anfield cauldron

 

Everything Klopp has done since he became Liverpool manager has had a galvanising effect.

There is always a method to the German’s madness and his latest against the Black Cats was arguably one of the more seismic from his 13-month tenure.

Wildly gesticulating to supporters, he stirred the home crowd from its slumber at a time when the tide appeared to be turning against his toiling players.

In those 10 minutes before Divock Origi curled home a vital opener, Anfield suddenly rediscovered its collective voice and began spurring its side on again.

Ever the showman, Klopp’s beaming and effusive reaction as he left the pitch at full time spoke of a man whose calculated gamble had paid off handsomely.

No change is a welcome one

 

For the past 40 Premier League games, Klopp had fielded a side which was unrecognisable to its previous outing.

Many were enforced and it was for that reason that the 41st time of asking saw the Liverpool manager resist the temptation to tinker with his starting line-up.

Admittedly the absences of Adam Lallana and Daniel Sturridge prompted him to stick to the side which was held in a stalemate at Southampton last weekend.

His hand was forced again midway through the first half as Coutinho was stretchered off but the original continuity aspect will allow Liverpool to become a more cohesive and fervent unit.