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Sports Illustrated

Sport

James Cormack

Liverpool vs. Sunderland: Preview, Predictions and Lineups

Sunderland Liverpool Andoni Iraola Jérémy Jacquet EPL Arne Slot Nashville

Liverpool and Sunderland kick off their summer tours of the United States by facing off in a friendly hosted by Nashville‘s GEODIS Park.

The Andoni Iraola era unofficially gets underway in Tennessee, with the Spaniard signing a two-year contract at Anfield in the wake of Arne Slot’s dismissal.

Liverpool embarked on a bitterly disappointing Premier League title defense and are now veering into a new era, not merely because of the manager‘s departure. Mohamed Salah’s time with the club also drew to a close at the end of the season, and the Reds haven’t yet mitigated the Egyptian’s exit.

Iraola has publicly addressed Liverpool’s need for new arrivals, despite their record-breaking splurge last summer.

Sunderland impressed on Merseyside last season but were beaten 1–0 at home by Slot’s Reds earlier this year. Still, Régis Le Bris’s Black Cats finished the campaign strongly enough to ensure they secured a quite remarkable Europa League berth.

They certainly haven’t been as busy in the transfer market compared to 12 months ago, with consolidation key for Sunderland this season.

Liverpool vs. Sunderland Score Prediction

Andoni Iraola — Iraola’s Liverpool tenure gets underway in Nashville. | Nikki Dyer/Liverpool FC/Getty Images

These teams played out a pair of tight games in the Premier League last term, with just three goals scored across the two matches.

Given how different both sides will look in Nashville on Saturday, we can’t read too much into the recent head-to-head duels. The pair have plenty of players yet to return from the World Cup, so there should be opportunities for younger players to impress their respective managers this weekend.

Moreover, it‘s likely to take some time for ’Iraola-ball’ to come into full effect. It took the Spaniard a while to impose himself on the south coast. He’s got to hasten the process this time around, because Liverpool supporters won’t be so patient—evidenced by Slot’s departure.

This is their first outing of the summer, while Sunderland thrashed York City 5–1 in a friendly on Saturday.

Prediction: Liverpool 1–1 Sunderland

Liverpool Predicted Lineup vs. Sunderland

Iraola has named a 31-man roster for Liverpool’s summer tour, including summer addition Jérémy Jacquet.

Those who competed at the World Cup, such as Virgil van Dijk, Florian Wirtz and Ryan Gravenberch, will join the rest of the squad at a later date, and they won’t be available for the Reds’ first friendly of the summer.

Spain international Victor Muñoz, another new arrival, is likely to be granted extra time off, even if he failed to make a single appearance for the world champion.

Hugo Ekitiké, Wataru Endo, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Stefan Bajčetić are continuing their rehabilitation programs out in North America.

Liverpool predicted lineup vs. Sunderland (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Ramsay, Gomez, Jacquet, Kerkez; Nyoni, Jones; Szoboszlai, Elliott, Ngumoha; Wright.

Sunderland Predicted Lineup vs. Liverpool

Sunderland had quite the World Cup, with captain Granit Xhaka starring for quarterfinalists Switzerland and Brian Brobbey scoring a handful for the Netherlands before it succumbed in the round of 32.

Those two are unavailable for their second friendly of the summer, while Chemsdine Talbi, Omar Alderete, Noah Sadiki, Nilson Angulo, Habib Diarra, Robin Roefs, Simon Adingra and Arthur Masuaku are all joining the rest of Le Bris’s touring roster on July 26.

Summer transfer Thomas Meunier will also be arriving later on.

The Black Cats are bereft of injury concerns, but Jocelin Ta Bi, a 21-year-old winger from Côte d’Ivoire, has been denied a VISA to enter the United States. Sunderland are hoping to rectify the situation in time for Saturday’s game.