In many respects Liverpool's Gerard Houllier and Sunderland's Peter Reid are soul-mates, driven relentlessly forward by the shared belief that the seemingly flawed personnel under their guidance are creatures who boast a rare gift, one which, given the right encouragement, can blossom.
Unlike Houllier, Reid, the scouser who grew up a Liverpool fan before becoming such a revered and feted figure across Stanley Park at Everton, has probably never been called erudite.
Yes, he is demonstrative. Yes, he uses the industrial language of the shop-floor but Reid is a managerial war-horse who asks only of his players that they try, and care. His chest was swelling with pride on Saturday evening.
With Dietmar Hamann and Jamie Carragher preferring industry to artistry in central midfield, Nick Barmby as depressingly anonymous as he was during his darker days at previous club Everton and Rigobert Song clearly attempting to convince his manager that his future should lie elsewhere, Liverpool were utterly abject for the most part and escaped with a point only because Sunderland could not convert the chances they created in the game's final quarter.
Houllier wisely made absolutely no attempt at all to drag any wool over any eyes, simply conceding that here was a ragged and undistinguished performance. "It just wasn't a good day for us; it never once felt right," he said. "But, if there is a plus point it is that we took something out of the game when, perhaps, we might have ended up with nothing."
Houllier's assertion that teams who are off colour and out of sorts will invariably lump the ball forwards optimistically was certainly more general than it was specific, for had the impressive Christian Ziege not lumped, often and with great accuracy, Liverpool would surely have lost.
Indeed, it was one of Ziege's many telling free kicks which brought Liverpool their equaliser, Michael Owen rising majestically to head home via the underside of the crossbar.
Kevin Phillips after just 13 minutes made much of a retreating Liverpool defence to sprint 30 yards before planting a fine drive into the bottom corner. "He hit it early and that is the hallmark of a quality striker," purred Reid.
While Phillips and Owen made their mark, another England striker, Emile Heskey, looks to have been ruled out of the squad for Germany after he limped off after 10 minutes and he may now face surgery on the injured knee.
Liverpool: Westerveld, Song, Babbel, Henchoz, Ziege, Barmby, Carragher, Hamann (Gerrard 63), Diomede (Fowler 72), Owen, Heskey (Murphy 11). Subs Not Used: Traore, Arphexad. Booked: Diomede, Song. Goals: Owen 34.
Sunderland: Sorensen, Makin, Craddock, Thome, Gray, Hutchison, Williams, Kilbane, Arca, Quinn, Phillips. Subs Not Used: Roy, Thirlwell, Reddy, Oster, Macho. Booked: Phillips, Hutchison. Goals: Phillips 14. Attendance: 44,713.
Referee: M Riley (Leeds).
