Liverpool in a groove despite striker woes

Liverpool's Luis Garcia, pictured October 2005. Liverpool's problems in the striker department appear to grow deeper by the day but that failed to stop the European champions from making it five Premiership wins in a row with a 2-0 defeat of whipping boys Sunderland.

Liverpool's problems in the striker department appear to grow deeper by the day but that failed to stop the European champions from making it five Premiership wins in a row with a 2-0 defeat of whipping boys Sunderland.

First-half goals from Luis Garcia and Steven Gerrard put Rafael Benitez's side on cruise control and, despite having Mohamed Sissoko sent off 25 minutes from time, they were never seriously disturbed by a Sunderland side that appears doomed to an instant return to the Championship.

The return of midfielder Xabi Alonso from an ankle injury was central to a win that lifts Liverpool up to fourth in a Premiership table in which the cream is finally rising to the top.

It was the Spaniard who played in compatriot Luis Garcia to open the scoring in the 30th minute and he then produced another superb pass to allow Gerrard to make it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time.

Once again, there was no goal for giant striker Peter Crouch, who has now made 19 appearances for Liverpool since his seven-million-pound summer move from Southampton without finding the back of the net.

But Crouch at least was on the pitch for most of the match. There was no place in Benitez's squad for his fellow Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse, who was left at home as punishment for his petulant display of anger at being substituted during the win at Manchester City on Saturday.

Benitez's cracking of the disciplinary whip will inevitably increase speculation that Cisse, a 14-million-pound buy from Auxerre, could be on his way out of Anfield.

But Cisse may take some comfort from the anonymous display produced by Fernando Morientes, who was restored to the starting line-up in his absence.

Instead it was left to the midfield to provide the cutting edge.

Liverpool's opener was all about the understanding between Alonso and Garcia, the latter timing his run perfectly to latch on to the former's long-ball over the Sunderland back four and then neatly side-footing into the net.

Even then, Sunderland looked a beaten side, but Gerrard made sure on the stroke of half-time. Another superb pass from Alonso set him free and the England midfielder lifted the ball over goalkeeper Ben Alnwick before tapping home.

Despite Sissoko's red card, Liverpool almost claimed a spectacular third goal through John Arne Riise. With quarter of an hour left, the Norway international carried the ball 60 yards through the middle of the field before clattering a fierce drive against the crossbar.

Sunderland were never short on effort but the shortfall in quality in Mick McCarthy's side was all too apparent, even after Sissoko had been ordered off for his second yellow card.

This was a 12th defeat in 15 outings for Sunderland this season and there appears little the manager, Mick McCarthy, can do to avoid the drop.