‘Wonderful player’ – Joe Cole enraptured by 46-touch Liverpool genius in first half v Sunderland

Joe Cole was enraptured by one ‘wonderful’ Liverpool player in the first half against Sunderland on Wednesday night.

The Reds were in the ascendancy for much of the opening 45 minutes at the Stadium of Light but were unable to find the breakthrough against a resolute Black Cats side.

Florian Wirtz came the closest to breaking the deadlock just after the half-hour mark when he took control with a brilliant first touch and made space for himself inside the hosts’ penalty area before hitting the post with a curled shot.