Liverpool 3-0 Sunderland

The Anfield side had not won in the Barclays Premier League since Boxing Day and they had to fight hard to finally subdue the battling Black Cats.

A shocking sequence of five league games without a victory - effectively destroying any lingering hopes of a title bid - was ended with goals from Peter Crouch and Fernando Torres before Steven Gerrard completed the scoring from the spot.

Sunderland had worked hard and felt they should have had a penalty when Jamie Carragher appeared to handle.

But Liverpool pulled themselves together after a frustrating first half and moved back up to fifth in the table.

Benitez's response to the midweek defeat at West Ham was to leave out Steve Finnan, Yossi Benayoun, Xabi Alonso, Harry Kewell and Dirk Kuyt.

Crouch came in up front, Carragher moved to the right to allow centre-back Martin Skrtel to slot into the back four while Lucas Leiva, Jermaine Pennant and Javier Mascherano all returned.

Sunderland, who have not won at Anfield since 1983, were missing Dwight Yorke (knee) and Anthony Stokes from the side that beat Birmingham last time out as Michael Chopra returned from suspension and Kieran Richardson came back from injury.

But Richardson's suspect hamstring lasted just seven minutes before he was replaced by striker Rada Prica, with Daryl Murphy moving to the left of midfield.

Gerrard saw two long-range efforts charged down but that was as close as anyone got in the opening exchanges.

Slowly Liverpool seemed to run out of inspiration as the tackles continued to come in and Liam Miller, who had transgressed a couple of times, was booked for a foul on Gerrard.

Sunderland's determined defending kept Liverpool at bay and Nosworthy, despite a height disadvantage, did a solid job against Crouch.

Lucas was asked to play on the left for Liverpool with marginal success as Bardsley and Chopra were an effective pairing down that flank and Sunderland's confidence grew with every attack they broke down.

Liverpool finally created a chance after 38 minutes when Pennant's cross was met by Torres with a downward header that Craig Gordon scooped up.

A minute from the break Lucas' flick picked out Torres in the box for a shooting chance but Jonny Evans' produced a fine last-ditch block.

Liverpool replaced Fabio Aurelio with Finnan at half-time while, 10 minutes after the interval, Sunderland sent on Roy O'Donovan in place of Prica to bolster the midfield.

However, two minutes later Liverpool finally got themselves ahead.

Carragher got down the right and lifted a cross to the edge of the six-yard box where Crouch rose to head down and wide of Gordon's dive.

The goal lifted the hosts and Torres brought down a through-ball and flashed a drive Gordon did well to push into the Kop.

After 63 minutes Crouch saw a hooked shot blocked by Gordon, with Gerrard's follow-up deflected wide and from the resulting corner Crouch's towering header was cleared off the line by Dean Whitehead.

Six minutes later the second goal came when Torres surged on to a Crouch flick-on and hammered a right-foot shot past Gordon.

Sunderland were unfortunate not to get a penalty in the 73rd minute when Carragher threw himself at a Murphy shot and the ball struck his arm but Styles did nothing.

Evans had a header blocked by Jose Reina as Sunderland continued to power forward, with Finnan was booked for a foul on O'Donovan.

But two minutes from time Liverpool were awarded a penalty for a Nosworthy challenge on Pennant.

Gordon was booked for dissent before Gerrard scored from the spot with the Scotland goalkeeper almost keeping the ball out.

Teams:

Liverpool Reina, Carragher, Hyypia, Skrtel, Aurelio (Finnan 46), Pennant, Gerrard, Mascherano, Lucas (Benayoun 61), Crouch (Kuyt 83), Torres. Subs Not Used: Itandje, Babel. Booked: Finnan.

Goals: Crouch 57, Torres 69, Gerrard 89 pen.

Sunderland Gordon, Bardsley, Nosworthy, Evans, Collins, Chopra (Waghorn 83), Whitehead, Miller, Richardson (Prica 7), Murphy, Jones, Prica (O'Donovan 55). Subs Not Used: Fulop, McShane.

Booked: Miller, Gordon.

Att: 43,244

Ref: Rob Styles (Hampshire).