Liverpool come to the Stadium of Light this weekend looking for the three points that will keep their hopes of finishing in a European place alive.
Brendan Rodgers men are in 8th place at the moment on 29 points and they nee three points to try and keep up with West Ham and Arsenal who are in 7th and 6th place.
The Reds last four league games has given them two wins and two draws, they have drawn with both Leicester and Arsenal while beating both Swansea and Burnley.
Liverpool fans would like to see their team a little better off in the league, but if the game at Anfield was anything to go by, this game doesn’t look like being that exciting.
Last season Liverpool came to the Stadium of light and won 3-1, they won’t mind a repeat of that scoreline.
Vital Quotes:
Gus Poyet: ‘My idea was to get over the line of 20 points from the first half of the season. I didn’t think it would be exactly 20, though!
‘Now we have started the second part with 18 games to play. Most of the games against the big teams will be away.
‘The situation has changed at home so now we need to get better there. We have no excuses. That is something we need to put right.’
Sunderland Team News:
Sunderland captain Lee Cattermole is still struggling with a groin injury, while Jack Rodwell will be given a fitness test on a muscle strain.
Ricky Alvarez and Emanuele Giaccherini are fit again but Sebastian Coates is ineligible against his parent club.
Player to watch: Adam Johnson
Been amongst the goals of late as well as good form.
Liverpool Team News:
Liverpool’s Adam Lallana has a calf injury, and Kolo Toure is now on international duty with the Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Joe Allen, Glen Johnson, Jon Flanagan and Brad Jones all remain sidelined.
Player to watch: Steven Gerrard
Doesnt seem able to put a foot wrong at the moment.
Match Facts & Stats
Sunderland have won just one of the last four times they have hosted Liverpool (W1, D1, L2).
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last five meetings against Sunderland (W3, D2).
Ref Watch:
Referee: Craig Pawson.
Assistant Referee 1: Darren Cann.
Assistant Referee 2: John Brooks.
Fourth Official: Robert Madley.
Match Prediction:
1-1
Next Fixtures:
Sat 17 Jan 2015: Tottenham v Sunderland.
