Liverpool vs Sunderland LIVE!
Liverpool host Sunderland tonight looking to reverse their poor run of form. The Reds suffered nine defeats in their last 12 games before their victory at West Ham last time out, with a 2-0 win coming at a crucial time for Arne Slot. Pressure had began to mount on the Dutchman, who saw his side slide further and further down the Premier League table after a rotten streak.
The defending champions are back up to eighth, and are looking upwards at tonight’s opposition, who have been one of the surprise packages of the season so far. Regis Le Bris’ Championship play-off winners have exceeded all expectations this term, sitting sixth in the pile, having just recently slid out of the Champions League placings.
Their own form has taken a bit of a wobble in recent weeks after a superb start, with with a draw against Everton and a defeat at Fulham doing some harm to their unlikely European charge. The Black Cats returned to winning ways at the weekend, however, shading a 3-2 thriller against Bournemouth at the Stadium of Light. This is a completely different task, however, as they travel to Anfield unsure of what Liverpool side could turn up. Keep up to date with all the action with our live blog below!
Liverpool vs Sunderland latest news
- GOAL! Mukiele own goal equalises
- GOAL! Talbi opens scoring
- OFF THE POST! Alderete goes close with header
- CLOSE! Mac Allister nods wide
- OFF THE BAR! Hume hits the woodwork
Liverpool escape with point after poor performance
22:23 , Oli GentNot the result that Arne Slot would have wanted, but one that he will have to accept after that horrendous showing.
FT: Liverpool 1-1 Sunderland
22:12 , Oli GentThat’s it, and the points are shared.
Liverpool can’t snatch the win at the death, and this will feel harsh for Sunderland.
Thanks for joining us on Standard Sport, be sure to come back very soon for even more LIVE Premier League action!
Liverpool 1-1 Sunderland
22:07 , Oli Gent90+4 mins: What a chance! What a pass from Roefs, and Isidor is clean through here from the Liverpool corner! Here goes the striker, trying to round Alisson, and Chiesa is the one that clears off the line!
Liverpool 1-1 Sunderland
22:05 , Oli Gent90+2 mins: Luke O’Nien is coming on for Sunderland now, replacing the goalscorer Talbi. Another defender for the visitors.
Liverpool 1-1 Sunderland
22:03 , Oli Gent90 mins: Seven added minutes.
Liverpool 1-1 Sunderland
22:03 , Oli Gent89 mins: Appeals for handball from the Liverpool corner as Van Dijk nods it down, but nothing doing against Alderete!
Liverpool 1-1 Sunderland
21:59 , Oli Gent86 mins: The replay shows that Wirtz’s effort was going off target before the deflection, it won’t count as the German’s!
Liverpool 1-1 Sunderland
21:58 , Oli Gent85 mins: How do Liverpool build from that now? That is a hammer blow for Sunderland. Can they hold out for a point?
Goal! Liverpool 1-1 Sunderland
21:55 , Oli Gent82 mins: Liverpool are level, and Florian Wirtz has his first goal for the club! That’s a lovely run, as he slaloms through the bodies after a good interception from Jones. It takes a deflection off Mukiele past Roefs!
Liverpool 0-1 Sunderland
21:52 , Oli Gent78 mins: Le Fee is coming off, Geertruida replaces him.
Liverpool 0-1 Sunderland
21:46 , Oli Gent73 mins: Hugo Ekitike is coming on for the hosts replacing Alexis Mac Allister, while Hume is getting treatment after a collision with Konate.
Liverpool 0-1 Sunderland
21:44 , Oli Gent71 mins: What a strike that was from Talbi, but Sunderland aren’t done. They want another.
Goal! Liverpool 0-1 Sunderland
21:41 , Oli Gent68 mins: It’s there, and Sunderland are ahead! It’s Chemsdine Talbi who’s got it, and they deserve that. The winger drifts infield off the left flank, and arrows it into the corner, via the deflection off van Dijk!
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
21:39 , Oli Gent66 mins: Immediately we’re seeing Jones drift infield from that right full-back position to create numerical overloads in the engine room. Could he be the difference?
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
21:38 , Oli Gent65 mins: Curtis Jones comes on for Joe Gomez. He’ll play at right-back.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
21:36 , Oli Gent63 mins: Wilson Isidor replaces Brian Brobbey up top. Not a bad replacement, which really shows the visitors’ strength in depth.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
21:34 , Oli Gent62 mins: Close! It’s whipped in by Le Fee and Alderete meets it at the front post! It clips off the woodwork!
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
21:34 , Oli Gent62 mins: Corner, Sunderland. The visitors are not going away and that’s a dangerous cross from Le Fee. He looks for Brobbey pulling away at the far post, but Konate just about flicks it behind.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
21:33 , Oli Gent61 mins: Chance! An awkward moment for Konate as he misjudges the high ball and Brobbey wins it, taking it down. The Dutchman looks like he’s through, but instead of driving, holds up the play and looks for Talbi, who tries to jink inside onto his right off the left, but he’s crowded out.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
21:31 , Oli Gent59 mins: The tide is turning now as Liverpool push for an opener. We’re approaching the hour mark here, and they’re no closer...
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
21:29 , Oli Gent56 mins: A booking for Gomez now as he chops down Reinildo chasing after a punt into the left channel. Free kick, Sunderland.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
21:27 , Oli Gent54 mins: Free kick, Liverpool. Le Fee gets the first caution of the game as he tugs Mac Allister’s shirt.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
21:23 , Oli Gent51 mins: More sustained Liverpool pressure, and Salah seems to have already made an impact with his presence off the right. There’s just a bit more thrust about the hosts now.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
21:19 , Oli Gent47 mins: Free kick, Sunderland. Reinildo is clipped on the left by Szoboszlai.
Kick off!
21:19 , Oli Gent46 mins: We’re back underway, with Salah replacing Gakpo.
Salah is stripped
21:18 , Oli GentThe forward is coming on for the second half.
HT: Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
21:02 , Oli GentThere's the interval. It's safe to say it's not been a thriller. What will the second half have in store?
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
21:00 , Oli Gent45 mins: Close! Gomez whips it in and Mac Allister meets it with a deft header, but it’s just wide!
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
20:59 , Oli Gent44 mins: Szoboszlai has been the bright spark in an otherwise dull Liverpool performance. The Hungarian stings the palms of Roefs to win a corner, which Sunderland don’t get clear convincingly...
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
20:55 , Oli Gent41 mins: It’s been far too easy for Regis Le Bris’ side to make passes, with the game being played at a pedestrian pace.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
20:52 , Oli Gent37 mins: Liverpool have been slow, sluggish, and subpar so far. Sunderland have brought the intensity, and the attacking mentality to this encounter.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
20:48 , Oli Gent33 mins: Off the bar! What a strike that is! It rattles off the crossbar as Hume strikes from range after Szoboszlai’s loose pass.
Alisson gets a nervy hand to it and tips it onto the bar!
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
20:46 , Oli Gent31 mins: Corner, Liverpool. Gakpo clips it in, but it won’t quite reach van Dijk. Szoboszlai sends in a second ball, in towards Gakpo, but it’s defended well by the visitors.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
20:43 , Oli Gent28 mins: A period of possession for Sunderland once more after Liverpool’s first bit of sustained pressure. They’re knocking it about with real confidence, the Wearsiders...
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
20:39 , Oli Gent24 mins: Close! The ball ricochets kindly for Wirtz after Roefs gives it away cheaply. The German and the rest of Anfield think he has his first goal for the club as he stabs it towards goal, but it trickles the wrong side of the post!
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
20:38 , Oli Gent22 mins: A chance for Liverpool there as Sunderland can’t hack it away and a touch from Le Fee sets it for Gravenberch. He doesn’t let fly, and the visitors escape.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
20:34 , Oli Gent19 mins: Loud boos blare from the away end as Isak picks it up in the left pocket. The former Newcastle striker drives infield and goes for goal, but he balloons his effort over the bar. The Swede’s dribble included the hosts’ first touch in the Sunderland box.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
20:33 , Oli Gent18 mins: Brobbey does really well to pin Konate just inside the Liverpool half, and the Frenchman hauls down the big striker.
It gives the visitors a chance to throw it into the box from Xhaka, and the second phase comes out to Hume, who looks for Alderete around the back. The centre-back can only knock it back into Alisson’s gloves as he tries to keep the dream alive, however.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
20:31 , Oli Gent17 mins: That’s a weakness for Liverpool. Gomez refuses to deliver the cross as he gets high and wide down the right. Bradley and Frimpong would have crossed within seconds there, and there were bodies in the box to aim for...
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
20:30 , Oli Gent16 mins: Sunderland’s position in the table isn’t looking too far-fetched with the way they’ve started. They’re so organised in their defensive shape, but they’re still eager to press from the front and look to counter quickly if they can.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
20:27 , Oli Gent13 mins: Brobbey has been a real handful for Konate and van Dijk so far. The Dutchman’s physicality and hold-up play has been superb. He’s really growing into the Premier League after a slow start.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
20:24 , Oli Gent10 mins: The first sighting of goal for the hosts as Szoboszlai drifts in off the right and looks to tee one up from range, but it’s straight down the throat of Roefs.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
20:23 , Oli Gent8 mins: It’s been a front-footed, aggressive start from Sunderland. No fear from the visitors, as they look direct for Le Fee in the left channel. He tries to find Brobbey with a poked low cross into the near post, but the Dutchman can only just get a toe to it as Alisson claims.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
20:20 , Oli Gent6 mins: A pass from van Dijk sells Gakpo short and Sunderland burst forward with Sadiki, supported by Mukiele. They win the throw, which the right-back will launch in... but they get the execution all wrong as it’s cleared, and the hosts can rebuild from the goal kick.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
20:19 , Oli Gent4 mins: That means that Le Fee is up top with Brobbey off the ball, and Talbi is wide left. That will has Mukiele at right-back, Alderete partnering Ballard, and Reinildo at left-back rather than wing-back.
Liverpool 0-0 Sunderland
20:18 , Oli Gent3 mins: Some early tactical observations for you. It is a 4-4-2 out of possession for Sunderland, with Hume pushing forward to get tight to Gakpo, but he’s holding shape in midfield, shifting inside to cover the space left by Xhaka and Sadiki.
Kick off!
20:15 , Oli Gent1 min: We’re underway.
Five minutes to go!
20:10 , Oli GentThe players are out, and we’re about to get underway.
10 minute warning!
20:06 , Oli GentThe players are getting ready, and in from the warm-up.
It’s getting real!
15 minutes to kick off!
19:58 , Oli GentIt’s almost time to get underway at Anfield.
Who will come out on top?
Leeds vs Chelsea LIVE!
19:50 , Oli GentThe Blues visit Elland Road as Cole Palmer is benched once more...
Sunderland team analysis
19:30 , Oli GentDefend, defend, defend.
That will be the message from Regis Le Bris, who sets his stall out in a rigid 5-4-1 shape.
Enzo Le Fee and Chemsdine Talbi will be the two wide midfielders, but their main roles will be to track the Liverpool full-backs and double up where possible on the hosts’ wingers.
It will then be up to Omar Alderete and Nordi Mukiele as the wide centre-backs to follow the penetrating runs of the Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Florian Wirtz into the channels, while you would expect Dan Ballard to be the one that wrestles with Isak.
Up top, Le Bris has plumped for his biggest target - Brian Brobbey - who will himself tussle with the Liverpool central defenders to hold up the play and win free kicks higher up the field.
Liverpool team analysis
19:22 , Oli GentNo messing about from Slot.
Robertson is his only change from the win over West Ham, but the big talking point is Mohamed Salah being benched once again.
That will mean that Domink Szoboszlai will be off the right, with Florian Wirtz as the No10, but expect them to alternate positions frequently.
Cody Gakpo is wide left as he looks to continue his good form, while Alexander Isak will be buoyed by his first Premier League goal for his new club since his British record transfer last summer.
Sunderland lineup
19:11 , Oli GentSunderland XI: Roefs; Hume, Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Reinildo; Talbi, Xhaka, Sadiki, Le Fee; Brobbey
Subs: Patterson, O’Nien, Geertruida, Neil, Mundle, Adingra, Traore, Mayenda, Isidor
Liverpool lineup
19:01 , Oli GentLiverpool XI: Alisson; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Wirtz, Gakpo, Isak
Subs: Mamardashvili, Endo, Kerkez, Salah, Chiesa, Jones, Ekitike, Nyoni, Ngumoha
Liverpool vs Sunderland odds
18:45 , Oli GentLiverpool to win: 3/10
Sunderland to win: 13/2
Draw: 10/3
Odds via Betfair (subject to change).
Liverpool vs Sunderland head-to-head
18:35 , Oli GentSunderland’s long absence from the Premier League means this is the first meeting between the two sides since January 2017. Liverpool have not lost to the Black Cats since March 2012.
Liverpool wins:79
Sunderland wins: 52
Draws: 39
Standard Sport prediction
18:25 , Oli GentDespite the win over West Ham, the jury is still out as to whether Liverpool are back or if it’s another false dawn.
Recent losses at home against Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven suggest Anfield is no longer the fortress it once was and that should give confidence to a Sunderland side that has already won at Stamford Bridge since returning to the top-flight.
However, we think Liverpool will just have enough to claim all three points.
Liverpool to win, 2-1.
Sunderland team news
18:15 , Oli GentAs for Sunderland, Habib Diarra remains unavailable for selection after undergoing groin surgery, and Aji Alese is out for another two weeks with a shoulder injury.
Liverpool team news
18:05 , Oli GentArne Slot has a big decision to make on whether to change a winning formula. Joe Gomez got the nod at right-back against West Ham which made Liverpool more resolute defensively.
Slot did recently reveal that Gomez had an injection on a knee problem, so it remains to be seen if the versatile defender can start two matches in a short space of time.
Mohamed Salah did not start at the London Stadium, though that was purely as a result of squad rotation amid a hectic fixture schedule.
The Egypt international could return here, while Milos Kerkez is fine despite being replaced by Robertson late on in the win over the Hammers.
How to watch
17:55 , Oli GentTV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports. Coverage starts at 6.30pm GMT on Sky Sports Football ahead of kick-off at 8.15pm.
Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.
Hello and welcome!
17:45 , Oli Gent... to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Liverpool vs Sunderland.
It is another must-win game for the Reds as they look to salvage their season, while the visitors are out to maintain their push for Europe against all the odds.
Stay tuned for all the updates, with kick off at 8.15pm GMT.
