Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson felt his side deserved their point despite failing to capitalise on their early goal, having seen Torres have one ruled out for offside moments earlier.
He also felt the penalty Attwell awarded when the ball struck Christian Poulsen was "compensatory" in the wake of the furore his decision for Liverpool's first caused.
"It wasn't the result we wanted but in many ways it was the performance we wanted," he said.
"We had a very bright start and we could have been 2-0 up because I think Torres' first goal which was disallowed for offside was incorrectly ruled out but we lost our way.
"But I thought the penalty they got was fairly compensatory because I don't prescribe to accidental handball, for me handball has to be intentional.
"We suffered the cold shower of going 2-1 down in the second half and after that I thought the reaction was really good.
"We dominated the game after that and created lots of chances but only scored from one of them.
"I think over the 90 minutes we were more than worth the point we got.
"Sunderland got back into the game and it certainly evened things out."
Hodgson admitted it had been another missed opportunity to get Liverpool's season back on track, with their first six matches now having brought one win, three draws and two defeats.
But he accepted they were playing well below what was required to be considered Champions League qualification form.
"Had we won today we could have found ourselves in fourth or fifth place, although I don't think we are playing like a team in fourth or fifth place," he said.
"We have to start winning all games because the league is very tight.
"These days it is not a question of three or four teams dominating the league, it is getting harder and harder.
"Of course we are playing at home, we were 1-0 up and hopefully we would go on to build on that but unfortunately there was an opponent as well and they had something to say on the matter."
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He knows we're playing poorly and felt we should have won. Tactics from the off were poor, but he made the right subs and not really like for like.
Not checked if posted so soz if i'm quiffing