Sunderland vs Liverpool Premier League preview, team news and prediction

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Two Premier League sides eager to bounce back meet at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday night, as Sunderland host reigning champions Liverpool. The Black Cats and the Reds face off just over two months after their 1-1 draw at Anfield, where a late own goal from Nordi Mukiele salvaged a point for Arne Slot’s men.

Liverpool seemed poised for a crucial victory heading into the final 10 minutes against Manchester City on Sunday, with Dominik Szoboszlai’s superb free kick putting them ahead. However, Bernardo Silva’s close-range finish and a dramatic stoppage-time penalty from Erling Haaland saw the visitors snatch a 2-1 win. Late goals have plagued Liverpool this season; they have now conceded four 90th-minute winners in the league—the joint-most by any team in a single campaign, matching the records of Watford, West Ham, and Southampton, with 13 matches still to play.

This latest defeat marks Liverpool’s eighth in the Premier League this season—twice as many as in their title-winning campaign last year. Now sixth in the table and five points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester United, Arne Slot faces a tough challenge to secure Champions League football. The Reds have managed just one win in their last seven league outings, making every point crucial from here on out. They can, however, take heart from their 19-game unbeaten run against promoted teams in the top flight.

Liverpool’s away form remains a concern, with only two wins from their last 10 Premier League matches on the road. They have conceded 21 goals in 12 away games—more than bottom-placed Wolves (20). Notably, all three of Liverpool’s top-flight defeats to Sunderland have come away from home, but they are unbeaten in their last five visits to the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland, meanwhile, have struggled for consistency, recording three wins, four draws, and three defeats in their last 10 league games, alternating between victory and loss in their last five. After a comfortable 3-0 home win over Burnley, they suffered a 3-0 defeat at Arsenal last weekend, dropping to ninth in the standings but sitting just three points behind Liverpool.

Regis Le Bris’s side will be glad to return to the Stadium of Light, where they have earned 72.2% of their Premier League points this season - a home record bettered only by Arsenal, Man City, and Man United. Remarkably, Sunderland remain the only Premier League team unbeaten at home this term; their 12-game run is the longest by a promoted side since Nottingham Forest’s 21-match streak in 1977-78.

However, Sunderland are winless in their last 11 Premier League meetings with Liverpool since a 1-0 home victory in March 2012. They have also found goals hard to come by in this fixture, netting just 19 times in 33 top-flight matches against the Reds.

Despite Sunderland's impressive home form as they go into this match unbeaten in the Premier League at the Stadium of Light this season, it is Liverpool who are the bookies favourites. In fact, William Hill have priced Arne Slot's side as 3/4 odds-on favourite as they look to climb up the Premier League table.

At the time of writing this, the Black Cats are 17/5 to win all three points and a draw is 27/10 but a possible double chance might be on the cards for some punters who fancy backing the home form at 21/20 too.

Sunderland will be without Granit Xhaka and January signing Jocelin Ta Bi, both sidelined due to ankle injuries. Bertrand Traore (knee) has yet to feature for the Black Cats since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, and his availability will be determined closer to kickoff.

In Xhaka’s absence, Noah Sadiki and Habib Diarra are expected to form the central midfield partnership, with Enzo Le Fee operating as the number 10 behind striker Brian Brobbey, who has netted three of his five Premier League goals at the Stadium of Light. Trai Hume is likely to continue in an advanced role on the right wing, while Chemsdine Talbi should keep his place on the left—Talbi scored in Sunderland’s draw at Anfield and could become the first Black Cats player to score in both home and away league fixtures against Liverpool since Stan Cummins in the 1980-81 season.

For Liverpool, Alexander Isak (leg), Jeremie Frimpong (thigh), Conor Bradley (knee), and Giovanni Leoni (knee) are all unavailable due to injury, while Joe Gomez (hip) is not expected to recover in time for Wednesday’s match. Following his excellent free-kick goal against Manchester City, Dominik Szoboszlai was sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity and will serve a one-match suspension. Curtis Jones is the most likely candidate to fill in at right-back as a result.

Up front, Hugo Ekitike has found the net in just one of his last six Premier League appearances, while Mohamed Salah is searching for his first league goal since November 1. Despite their recent struggles, both are expected to start in attack alongside Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo.

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