Sunderland will host Liverpool at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday, looking to pick up a crucial victory and pile on the pressure on Arne Slot.
Liverpool are going through a disappointing run of form, and they have picked up one point from the last six Premier League matches ahead of the game vs Sunderland at the Stadium of Light this week. The Reds are coming into this tie on the back of a defeat against Manchester City, and it remains to be seen whether the home team can pile further misery on them.
On the other hand, Sunderland a in similar form. The Black Cats have lost three of their last five Premier League matches, and they will need to improve to secure a good result here. The Wearside outfit are currently ninth in the Premier League table, and they will look to finish in the top half.
Sunderland need to start picking up points to finish the 2025/26 season strongly. This is a golden opportunity for them to pick up a morale-boosting victory at home. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Sunderland
Granit Xhaka (ankle), Bertrand Traore (knee) and Jocelin Ta Bi (ankle) are ruled out for the home side. Sunderland will start in a 4-3-3 formation vs Liverpool on Wednesday, 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 at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Chris Rigg will add creativity and control alongside Habib Diarri and Noah Sadiki in the middle of the park. They will add defensive cover and composure.
Enzo Le Fee and Chemsdine Talbi will start on the flanks and aim 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, Diarra; Talbi, Isidor, Le Fee
Liverpool
The away team will be without Jeremie Frimpong (hamstring), Giovanni Leoni (knee), Conor Bradley (knee), and Alexander Isak (fracture). Dominik Szoboszlai is suspended after being sent off late against Manchester City this past weekend.
Liverpool are likely to start in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Sunderland, with Alisson Becker in goal. Calvin Ramsay and Milos Kerkez will start as the full-backs. They will look to help out at both ends of the pitch. Meanwhile, Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk will form the central defensive partnership.
As for the midfield unit, Ryan Gravenberch will start alongside Curtis Jones in the double pivot, aiming to add control and composure to the team. Alexis Mac Allister will look to create opportunities for teammates in the final third.
Finally, Hugo Ekitike will lead the line for Liverpool vs Sunderland, with Florian Wirtz and Mohamed Salah on either side of him. So, Cody Gakpo and Federico Chiesa will be among the backup options on the bench for the away side.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Ramsay, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Jones; Salah, Mac Allister, Wirtz; Ekitike
Key Stats
- Liverpool are undefeated in their last 11 matches against Sunderland in all competitions. 14 goals have been scored in the last six matches between these two teams. Meanwhile, the last two matches between Liverpool and Sunderland have ended in a draw
- Liverpool are without a win in five of their last six Premier League matches.
- Sunderland have won three of their last five Premier League home games against the reigning champions (L2), including the last two against Chelsea (May 2016) and Leicester City (December 2016). Only six teams have ever won 3+ in a row, most recently Chelsea between 2016 and 2020..
- While Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 19 Premier League games against promoted sides (W14 D5), they have drawn the four most recent such clashes. They last went five without a win against promoted teams between January and October 1981 (D3 L2).
- Sunderland are unbeaten in all 12 of their Premier League home games this season (W7 D5). It is the longest run by a promoted side from the start of a top-flight season since 1977/78, when Nottingham Forest remained unbeaten in all 21 en route to winning the league title.
Player to Watch
Enzo Le Fee
The Sunderland star is our key player to watch out for. Le Fee has been in fantastic form since the start of the Premier League season, and he has been an indispensable asset for Sunderland. He will look to create opportunities for his teammates with his passing, flair and vision. The home team will depend on him to open up the await defence and create opportunities in the final third.
Prediction
Sunderland 2-1 Liverpool
Both teams will be desperate to bounce back strongly after the recent run of form. Sunderland will certainly fancy their chances against a vulnerable Liverpool team, and it will be interesting to see if they can put on a strong performance.
Neither side has been particularly good defensively, and there will be plenty of chances on offer here. It is fair to assume that both teams will get on the score sheet, but Liverpool are struggling with the lack of form and confidence, and Sunderland could inflict another defeat on them. A win for the home team is on the cards. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 victory for Regis Le Bris and his charges.
