The record books will show only a Sunderland defeat.

But, on Saturday at the Stadium of Light, home fans got a glimpse of the future; a glimpse of the sort of Premier League side Roy Keane wants to create.

For the opening 45 minutes, Sunderland not only matched Liverpool but surpassed them in terms of speed of thought, movement, technique and desire.

Debutants Steed Malbranque and El-Hadji Diouf showed twists and turns, flicks and feints supporters have seen far too rarely from Sunderland players over the years and the team as a whole were a level above what they were last season in terms of flair, confidence and composure.

Though they failed to sustain their challenge in the second half, it still took a moment of world-class finishing from Fernando Torres seven minutes from time, to separate the two sides.

And the good news is that this Sunderland side will only get better, regardless of what new signings Keane might add in attack and defence before the transfer window closes.

If only he could have added transfer target Benni McCarthy to the ranks before kick-off, things might have been different, for Sunderland carved out a couple of great chances but were unable to take them.

Diouf put a great centre in for Daryl Murphy after 12 minutes, but the striker headed down into the ground and straight up into the gloves of Pepe Reina.

And, in the second half, the roles were reversed, Murphy crossing for Diouf, only for the new man to scuff his shot into the same gloves.

"If we'd got a goal ahead, I would have fancied us because they'd had a difficult game midweek," mused Keane. "It just underlines the fact that whenever you get a chance against the big boys, you have to take them."

Keane had been as good as his word in including all four of his major summer signings in the starting line-up.

Pascal Chimbonda went right-back, Malbranque right-wing, Teemu Tainio holding midfielder and Diouf played up front alongside Daryl Murphy in a 4-4-2 formation matched by Liverpool.

Andy Reid took the captain's armband in central midfield, with skipper Dean Whitehead having to be content with a place on the bench.

The atmosphere before kick-off was terrific, and Sunderland kept the home fans in good voice with a fine start which culminated in Diouf producing the first real threat in the fifth minute when Sami Hyypia's back-header fell short and the Senegalese almost got on the end of it, only to be deprived by the boot of Jamie Carragher.

The fans lapped it up and when the 10-minute mark came up with the first shot – Kieran Richardson unable to resist a rush of blood and a shot from distance which drifted wide – Sunderland were well in control.

Next came the Diouf cross from the left and Murphy's tame header, but that was followed by an exquisite turn by Malbranque in midfield which completely wrong-footed Liverpool on the quarter-hour. Seconds later, Richardson burst forward on a great run up field which not even a Damien Plessis trip could stop.

This simply wasn't the Sunderland fans were used to. Perspiration they expect by the bucketload in the Premiership; inspiration is more of a rarity and fans seemed not to know whether to laugh or cheer. So they did both.

Goalkeeper Craig Gordon didn't have the ball thud in his gloves until midway through the half when he comfortably took down a right-wing cross from Dirk Kuyt and Sunderland continued to attack, earning a free-kick in the 24th minute when left-back Phil Bardsley was impeded by Alvaro Arbeloa.

Reid put in a great cross from the left which would have had the watching Kenwyne Jones, wishing he was fit and watching it come towards him.

The first corner came on the half-hour after Sunderland's best passing move – Malbranque delivered from the left but it was blocked at the near post and Tainio missed with an attempted header.

A side of Liverpool's quality were never going to be completely dominated by Sunderland and in the 32nd minute Nosworthy fouled Steven Gerrard, conceding a free-kick which the hosts blocked.

Seconds later, Gerrard saw a wayward shot hit Chimbonda and go out for a corner as the home goal came under pressure for the first time.

Liverpool notched up three corners in as many minutes, but Sunderland held firm and finished the half the stronger side.

In the 40th minute, Nosworthy produced a fantastic challenge to deny Fernando Torres as Liverpool threatened to break through on the edge of Sunderland's area.

And it wasn't until three minutes before the break that we really saw sight of Robbie Keane – quick feet on the edge of the area and a shot flashed wide – the only moment of the half to give Gordon any real concern.

Liverpool needed to up their gameon the restart and duly achieved that thanks to the replacement of Plessis with Xabi Alonso.

Alonso, yet another Spaniard of quality, has been the fall guy in Liverpool's bid to raise the money to buy fellow midfielder Gareth Barry from Aston Villa.

But he was given a great reception by Liverpool's fans and comfirmed his worth with some quality play which helped swing the game his side's way and included an "Alonso special" – a shot from deep in his own half with 10 minutes remaining which missed the target by a couple of yards as Gordon desperately scrambled back to his line.

Within five minutes of the restart, the Reds put themselves in the driving seat and, in the 52nd minute, Gerrard dragged a right-foot shot three yards wide of Gordon's right post.

The hosts hit back with a move started by Danny Collins which ended when Murphy crossed from the left and Diouf, 12 yards out at the far post, steered the ball into Reina's arms. Keane's men were not to get as good a chance again.

Liverpool counterattacked and brought the first save out of Gordon when Yossi Benayoun's shot was parried by Gordon low down and Keane's follow-up was deflected off target.

Whitehead was brought on for the tiring Tainio just before the hour and the skipper's first touch was a good interception, but Liverpool were soon on the attack again as the game opened up.

A good Liverpool move saw Gerrard shoot and Collins block – a clearance which led to a breakaway, but once again a Sunderland shot at the end of it – this time from Murphy – went straight to Reina.

Liverpool had gained the upper hand but were still struggling to make it count as Sunderland defended solidly from front to back.

With a little more than 15 minutes remaining, Kuyt saw a deflected shot blocked by the impressive Gordon and when Torres followed up he could only fire against equally alert team-mate Keane.

It looked as though it could be Sunderland's day to get their first
point from a top-five Premier side under Roy Keane.

Sunderland fans were heartened further when Robbie Keane was withdrawn –his substitution being seen as an admission of failure by Benitez.

Liverpool, for all their dominance now, were being restricted to hopeful efforts like Alonso's.

But, just as it looked as though Sunderland were going to get a point, Torres struck with seven minutes remaining.

Sunderland's players had tired and Torres exploited a rare moment of space.

Several Black Cats – like Gordon, Nosworthy and Collins – had not played for a fortnight. Others, like Chimbonda, Richardson and Bardsley, had been sidelined with injuries. And towards the end it showed.

A Chimbonda challenge, followed by a Whitehead follow-up midway inside Sunderland's half failed to clear a ball which dropped to Alonso, whose astute pass found the unmarked Torres in space.

For once, Sunderland's defence was flat-footed, but it still needed the finish of a master to break the deadlock – Torres firing a ferocious right-foot shot from 25 yards which fizzed and curled into the inside side-netting of Gordon's right-hand post.

Drained by their efforts, Sunderland struggled to raise their game in the final 10 minutes.

It allowed Liverpool to escape with a far narrower victory than they might have expected before kick-off.

And despite the defeat, the game should leave Sunderland fans with hope in their hearts for the future. Tainio and Diouf reckon they have joined a top-10 side and the strength in depth in midfield is certainly at that level, on the evidence of Saturday's performance.

The defence is impressive, too, with Gordon, Bardsley, Collins and Nosworthy all looking better for last season's experience. Only in attack do Sunderland look short.

When Jones returns in a couple of months, he and his team-mates are going to love playing on the same side.

But before then, Roy Keane is likely to have made a breakthrough in the transfer market and any top-quality striker should be attracted by the idea of playing in the sort of side the manager is creating.