Sunderland boss Steve Bruce was left seething after referee Stuart Attwell's decision to allow a controversial Liverpool goal played a key role in his side's 2-2 draw at Anfield.

After Attwell awarded Sunderland a free-kick following Raul Meireles's fifth-minute foul on Titus Bramble, Black Cats central defender Michael Turner tapped the ball back towards his own goal as if to suggest to goalkeeper Simon Mignolet he should take it.

However, legally speaking, he had kicked the ball back into play and Fernando Torres saw his mistake, raced past him and gifted the ball on a plate for Dirk Kuyt to slide past the bewildered Mignolet.

Darren Bent then scored twice to put Sunderland 2-1 up before Steven Gerrard rescued a point for the home side and that effectively meant Attwell's decision cost the Black Cats first victory at Anfield for 27 years.