Liverpool will host Sunderland at Anfield on Wednesday, looking to build on the win over West Ham United this past weekend.
Liverpool have been poor in recent weeks, and they ended their three-match losing streak with a victory against West Ham at the weekend; it will be interesting to see if they can put together a winning run now, starting with the game vs Sunderland this midweek.
Sunderland have started the season really well, and they will look to pull off an upset here. The Black Cats are above Liverpool in the Premier League table, and they will look to finish in the top half this season. They need to keep picking up points to stay in the top half of the table.
Sunderland have struggled against Liverpool in recent meetings, and this will be a difficult challenge for them. It will be interesting to see if they can raise the performance levels and grind out a positive result away from home. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the upcoming meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Liverpool
Arne Slot will be without Giovanni Leoni (knee), Conor Bradley (muscular), and Jeremie Frimpong (hamstring). Liverpool are likely to shape up in a 4-3-3 formation vs Sunderland, with Alisson Becker in goal.
Joe Gomez and Andrew Robertson will start as the full-backs. They will look to help out at both ends of the pitch. Meanwhile, Ibrahima Konate will pair up alongside Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, and Dominik Szoboszlai will start in the middle of the park. They will look to control the game from the deep and add defensive cover.
Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz will start on the flanks here. They will look to add goals and creativity from the wide areas. Finally, Alexander Isak will lead the line for Liverpool vs Sunderland on Wednesday night.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Alisson; Gomez, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Isak, Wirtz
Sunderland
Habib Diarra has been ruled out until December after having surgery on a groin injury. Aji Alese is also sidelined due to a shoulder injury. Sunderland will start in a 4-3-3 formation vs Liverpool, with Robin Roefs in goal.
Trai Hume and Arthur Masuaku will start as the full-backs. They will look to help out at both ends of the pitch. Meanwhile, Nordi Mukiele will start alongside Dan Ballard in the central defensive partnership.
As for the midfield unit, Chris Rigg will add creativity and control in the middle of the park alongside Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki. They will add defensive cover and composure.
Enzo Le Fee and Chemsdine Talbi Will start on the flanks, and they will look to add pace, flair, and goals from the wide areas. Finally, Wilson Isidor will spearhead the Sunderland attack vs Liverpool on Wednesday.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Roefs; Hume, Ballard, Mukiele, Masuaku; Sadiki, Rigg, Xhaka; Talbi, Isidor, Le Fee
Key Stats
Liverpool are undefeated in their last 15 home matches against Sunderland in all competitions.
Liverpool have scored at least two goals in eight of their last ten home matches against Sunderland in all competitions.
12 goals have been scored in the last six matches between these two teams.
Liverpool are unbeaten in the last six matches against Sunderland.
Sunderland’s away Premier League matches this season have seen the fewest goals scored of any side’s games on the road (9 – 3 for, 6 against). It is the lowest in a team’s first six away games of a season since West Ham United in 2022/23 (also 3 for, 6 against).
Player to Watch
Alexander Isak
Embed from Getty Images
The Liverpool striker managed to get on the score sheet against West Ham United, and it will have given him a huge confidence boost. There is no doubt that the Swede is a top-class player, and he will look to get back to his best once again.
This is a golden opportunity to make his mark against an inferior team, and he will look to create opportunities for his teammates and find the back of the net as well. It will be interesting to see if the Swedish international can put in a strong performance here. Liverpool will need Isak’s ingenuity and sharpness in the final third if they want to grind out all three points.
Prediction
Liverpool 2-1 Sunderland
Both teams will be desperate for a victory here, and this is likely to be a close contest. Sunderland will look to make life difficult for the home team. They have done quite well since the promotion to the Premier League, and Liverpool cannot afford to underestimate them, even though the Reds have a solid record against newly-promoted teams.
The Premier League champions have won their last 12 Premier League matches against promoted clubs, while at Anfield they have won 26 of their last 28 (D1 L1), including the 12 most recent clashes in a row. The last promoted team to beat Liverpool at Anfield was Fulham in March 2021.
This will be a close contest, and both teams are likely to get on the sheet here. However, Liverpool have more attacking depth, and they should be able to grind out a narrow victory. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Arne Slot and his charges.