Sunderland 0, Liverpool 2

LAST week, Roy Keane revealed that he had never swapped shirts at the end of a football match. After watching his Sunderland side suffer a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool on Saturday, however, the Black Cats boss could have been forgiven for wondering if he was able to exchange a couple of players instead.

While this month's opening home game against Tottenham proved that effort and commitment could reap rewards against the majority of teams in the Premier League, Sunderland's first home defeat confirmed that there is no substitute for class when it comes to taking on one of English football's big boys.

Much improved from last weekend's wretched display at Wigan, the Black Cats defended stoutly against a Liverpool side boasting an attacking triumvirate of Fernando Torres, Andriy Voronin and Ryan Babel that was assembled at a combined cost of £38m this summer.

But their huffing and puffing could not disguise the vast gulf in class that separated them from their opponents and, had it not been for three superb saves from record signing Craig Gordon, the subsequent defeat could have been considerably more chastening.

"Sometimes, when you lose to a bigger and stronger squad, you have to take your medicine," admitted Keane, who saw his already-limited attacking resources reduced further when Kieran Richardson was forced off with a back injury within the opening 20 minutes. "Nobody likes losing football matches, but at least I'm slightly happier than I was last weekend.

"You know what to expect against these top teams, they suck you in and deny you opportunities, but I honestly believed we could beat Liverpool. Other managers might have their own little tables where they pick teams that they should be beating, but I haven't gone down that road - yet."

Keane's final word was telling and, for all that the Sunderland boss continues to insist that his side must pay little respect to reputation this season, he must also accept that their fate will not be determined by how they perform against the likes of Liverpool.

Despite the absence of injured skipper Steven Gerrard, Rafael Benitez's side confirmed their status as genuine title contenders, and few of the Black Cats' likely rivals in the bottom half of the table will be plundering points from the established big four.

Nevertheless, Keane will have been alarmed at the ease with which Liverpool were able to carve out chances after Momo Sissoko broke the deadlock with a fierce 22-yard drive - his first goal for the club - in the 37th minute.

Greg Halford was particularly shaky at right-back - his hesitant performance was epitomised by the under-hit back-pass that almost let Voronin in after less than 30 seconds - but the hosts' biggest weakness lay in midfield where the powerful Sissoko and the precise Xabi Alonso were largely able to do as they liked.

A partnership of Dwight Yorke and Dickson Etuhu might enable the Black Cats to shield their back four, but it also means that Sunderland are devoid of an attacking fulcrum when they look to get on the front foot.

As a result, Liverpool's midfielders were able to dictate the pace and tempo of the game, carving out a succession of second-half chances that should have made their subsequent victory more emphatic.

Torres was unable to convert two of them, and Voronin missed a golden opportunity from the heart of the penalty area a matter of moments before he successfully found the bottom corner following an overlapping run on the left.

Gordon was Sunderland's saviour on all three occasions and, while England's leading keepers continue to plumb ever-lower depths of ineptitude, the Scotsman has already underlined his qualities less than a month after arriving on Wearside.

Quick to spring from his line, Gordon blocked a succession of shots from Torres in a manner reminiscent of the great Peter Schmeichel. He might have cost a record-breaking £9m, but he could be worth every penny if he continues to combine a considerable presence with some sharp shot-stopping skills.

"It's hard for me to take any pleasure from my personal performance because the bottom line is that we lost the game," said Gordon. "The players gave everything - we just came up against a better side.

"Top-class strikers only need a sniff of a goal, and Liverpool have quality all over their side. They're strong up top and, when they get a chance to hit the target, that's what they usually do. That's something we're going to have to learn to deal with.

"It's disappointing because we all gave everything, but I think that's just the way things are going to go. There's going to be plenty of ups and downs at this club. Hopefully, at the end of the season, there will have been more ups than downs."

Watch the match highlights from Monday, August 27