Relegated in 2003 with only 19 points, the Wearsiders look as if they will struggle to get into double figures this time. Not even the second-half dismissal of Mohamed Sissoko for a second yellow card could save the home side and Mick McCarthy may well follow Alain Perrin as the next Premiership managerial casualty.
His side has taken only five out of 45 points this season. Liverpool climb to fourth and Rafael Benítez praised Peter Crouch after yet another game without a goal. The England striker came mightily close in the 47th minute when Ben Alnwick parried Steven Gerrard's shot into his path. But with the goal at his mercy, Steven Caldwell chopped him down and the referee Phil Dowd waved play on.
"I thought it was a goal and then a penalty, but it was bad luck for him," said Benítez. "He is playing well and he had an opportunity with a penalty and the referee did not see it. He's the only one in the stadium who did not see the penalty.
"After some games when people started talking and talking I said to him: 'Forget it, forget all the things people say about scoring, just try to play as well as you are playing now.' For us he is a very, very important player because we have a lot of options now that we didn't have last season. He can keep the ball, head the ball and then we have always a second option that we did not have."
Sunderland had tried 18 times for a Premiership victory at home since beating Liverpool in December 2002 and, though they did not start like a team waiting for the gallows trapdoor to fall from beneath them, their 13th defeat of the season was inevitable once Luis García broke the deadlock after 31 minutes.
He took the congratulations but the architect was Xabi Alonso, who had his back to the Sunderland goal inside his own half when he hooked the ball forward. Whether it was a hopeful pass or sheer brilliance, it did not matter to García, who left Gary Breen and Justin Hoyte trailing before coolly slotting his shot under the advancing Alnwick.
There was a feeling that it was game over already, and that sentiment was enhanced in the final minute of the half when Liverpool scored a second. Alonso again sliced the home defence open with ease and this time it was the left-back Danny Collins who was caught on his heels as Gerrard galloped outside him into the box, flicked the ball over the diving Alnwick and stroked the ball into the empty net.
Only a heroic block by Hoyte prevented John Arne Riise from making it 3-0 after 58 minutes before García warmed Alnwick's hands with a curling effort. By now the waif-like Andy Welsh was on for Sunderland, soon to be followed by Harry Kewell for Liverpool in place of Fernando Morientes - but it was still so easy for Benítez's European champions.
And perhaps Sissoko was taking sympathy on his hosts when he rashly chopped down Dean Whitehead in the 64th minute. Less than 15 minutes earlier he had done the same to Liam Lawrence and Dowd had little option but to show yellow on both occasions.
Sunderland kept going but having the extra man had little effect and Riise's deflected drive rattled Sunderland's bar with 16 minutes to go. By now McCarthy and the Sunderland chairman Bob Murray were getting verbal abuse from sections of the weary home support.
McCarthy had described his side as gutless after Saturday's 1-0 home defeat by Birmingham City but was more charitable after this setback against far better opponents. "You look at the two teams on the pitch and it was not really a fair fight," he said. "But I admire my players for having a fight and having a go. I had a right cut at them on Saturday and I was entitled to. Everyone, from Bob Murray down to the supporters, is suffering at the minute but we have to keep having a scrap and believe that we will turn it round."