The person who rather foolishly threw the beach ball onto the field of play to help gift Sunderland a goal during yesterday's encounter at the Stadium of Light is a wanted man on Merseyside.

Rumours that the person in question was in fact an Everton or Manchester United follower, have so far been unfounded, but neverthless the so-called Reds fan is in demand.

In yet another desperately disappointing day for Rafa Benitez's men in the league, bizarrely they can blame their own fans for the defeat - or one of them anyway.

Whoever decided that throwing a beach ball into the six yard box prior to a Sunderland attack, plunging 'keeper Pepe Reina into confusion, was a good idea, is no doubt regretting it now. The more dramatic amongst the Liverpool faithful might even say that his antics have cost the club the league title this year.

It's four defeats already in the league, and once again the Reds were unable to prove critics wrong who claim that they cannot be a force without the duo of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. Both were absent yesterday, and the team duly lost.

But these are old concerns. Of rather more importance is the identity of Mr Beach Ball himself. I think it's safe to say that for the person in question, life most certainly isn't a beach today.