“Striker Luis Suarez gave Liverpool the perfect start to their season but they wasted the opportunity to press home their advantage as they were pegged back by Sunderland. With £49 million worth of new signings on the pitch there was a feeling of optimism around Anfield and it was therefore fitting Suarez, the January acquisition who ignited the second half of last season, should score the first goal of the new Premier League campaign.” ESPN

Henry Winter: Liverpool’s new boys appear ready for the Anfield revolution
“Sometimes it can take time for new players to settle. In that feted Liverpool side, Peter Beardsley really shone only after Christmas. As Aldridge looked down from the radio box yesterday, and Dalglish attempted to marshal his resources from the dug-out, Liverpool’s new boys sought to live up to a famous tradition. Unlike in 1987-88, it will not happen overnight. Time, gentlemen, please.” Telegraph – Henry Winter

Downing on the right? Meirelles on the left? The spirit of Rafa Benitez lives on…
“One of the most maddening things about Liverpool under Rafa Benitez was his frustrating penchant for playing square pegs in round holes (Peter Crouch on the left-wing, anyone?). After today’s disappointing draw with Sunderland, let’s hope history is not going to repeat itself under Kenny Dalglish. I grew up idolising Dalglish so I wouldn’t presume to question the King’s tactics; however, I just can’t understand the decision to move Downing to the right and play Raul Meirelles on the left wing for the last part of the game.” Liverpool Kop

Liverpool 1-1 Sunderland: Suarez Penalty Miss Proves Costly
“It’s the start of a new season, and for a soccer fan in America, it means setting the alarm extra early (or waking up on your own two hours early, shaking with excitement), putting on a pot of coffee, playing the appropriate tunes, and participating in rabid Twitter discussions on the coming match. The first one of the season is always special, as it seems to se the tone for at least the first half of the season.” EPL Talk

Andy Carroll still looking to let out his inner monster for Liverpool
“In January’s great striker sale, £85m worth of goalscoring talent passed through Anfield. Fernando Torres went out for £50m and Andy Carroll came in to break the record fee for an English footballer. There is no certainty of a return on either splurge. Starting a new campaign in the No9 jersey, Carroll was sometimes lumbering, off-target with his heading and often loose in his distribution of the ball. This is not to say that the £35m bank-transferred from Liverpool to Newcastle United is already burning around the edges. Plenty of good judges say this giant pony-tailed bruiser is England’s next top-class centre-forward.” Guardian

Liverpool 1-1 Sunderland
“Liverpool started off with an excellent first half performance – dominating possession, attacking and defending at a high tempo which Sunderland couldn’t cope with. Suarez missed a penalty he himself had won – Richardson brought him down – before heading in Adam’s freekick. The second half was not good enough – Liverpool were too deep and couldn’t keep the ball. Maybe due to the first half effort, the high tempo tired the players out, resulting in a much slower second half. It could have been a very different outcome had Richardson been sent off and if Carroll’s goal had stood in the first half.” Footy Room – Video