Liverpool vs Sunderland Prediction
🔊 Will Liverpool return to their winning ways after breaking their losing streak in the Premier League? Their next challenge is no easy task. Sunderland are heading to Anfield, fresh off a victory last round that was even more impressive than the Reds'. The Black Cats have a track record of toppling giants on the road, with Chelsea recently falling victim. Can the visitors pull off another upset? We'll assess both teams' chances in our editorial analysis.
Head-to-Head
📊 These teams haven't faced each other in over eight years. Their last two encounters took place during the 2017/18 Premier League campaign. Back then, Liverpool triumphed at Anfield with a 2-0 victory. Meanwhile, the clash at the Stadium of Light ended in an entertaining 2-2 draw.
H2H Stats Matches and Previous Teams Results
Liverpool Team Overview
The Merseysiders are showing signs of life. Liverpool's crisis has been ongoing since late September, spanning nearly 13 matches. During this stretch, the Reds have suffered nine defeats. However, there have been occasional glimpses of hope, such as back-to-back victories over Aston Villa (2-0) and Real Madrid (1-0). That said, these wins occurred before the November international break.
Liverpool's latest resurgence came in the 13th round of the Premier League. Arne Slot's side visited London to face West Ham. There was no talk of past dominance. The visitors held possession for just 56% of the time and had slightly more shots on goal (9 to 7). Nonetheless, the quality of chances created was truly impressive. In terms of expected goals, the Reds outperformed their opponents by more than threefold (1.23 to 0.39). Additionally, a significant moment for the Reds came when Alexander Isak scored his first goal for the team. Cody Gakpo sealed the victory, setting the final score at 2-0.
Match Results: Liverpool
Sunderland Team Overview
Sunderland have arguably been the standout surprise of this Premier League season. A strong start has catapulted Régis Le Bris' side into the top four. However, as the November international break approached, the Black Cats hit a slight slump, drawing twice. Their winless streak extended to three games following a 1-0 defeat to Fulham right after the international fixtures, which pushed Sunderland down to seventh in the league standings.
Yet, their run of poor form didn't last long. In the 13th round of the Premier League at the Stadium of Light, they secured a come-from-behind victory against Bournemouth (3-2). The match started disastrously for the hosts, conceding two goals within the first 15 minutes. However, before halftime, the Black Cats managed to pull one back. In the second half, Sunderland themselves netted twice, with the first goal coming right after the break. The final score was sealed in the 69th minute, and Bournemouth lacked the energy for a late comeback.
Match Results: Sunderland
Latest news
Liverpool
🎙 Alexander Isak, after scoring his debut goal for Liverpool in the 13th round of the Premier League, received praise from his teammate Alexis Mac Allister. "I'm really happy for Isak. I believe he's an amazing player, we all know that. I joked with him because he doesn't even smile when he scores. I'm very pleased because he deserves it. Isak is very quiet. Sometimes he likes to be alone. You can see I'm just trying to talk to him, as he speaks Spanish quite well too. But yes, he's a quiet guy, and we're all glad he's here," said the Argentine midfielder.
❌ Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike have returned to the Liverpool lineup after injuries. The German played 75 minutes against West Ham, while the Frenchman came on as a substitute. Jeremie Frimpong is close to returning-he's nearly recovered from a hamstring strain. Stefan Bajcetic, Giovanni Leone, and Conor Bradley remain sidelined.
Sunderland
🎙 Saturday evening at the Stadium of Light was marked not only by a hard-fought victory over Bournemouth but also by the long-awaited debut of one of Sunderland's players. Romain Mandl made his Premier League debut, having previously appeared for the Black Cats only in the Championship. At the start of this season, he was recovering from a hamstring injury. After the match, the forward shared his thoughts: "This is everything I dreamed of as a child, so I'm eagerly looking forward to the next two games and just want to see what we are capable of. I'm confident we can pick up points. I just believe in this team."
❌ With Romain Mandl fully recovered, Sunderland's injury list now includes just two players: Habib Diarra and Alese Ajiibola. Shoulder and groin injuries, respectively, are delaying their return until mid-December.
🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards
The match will be officiated by referee Stuart Attwell. His average number of yellow cards over his last 10 Premier League games is 5.3. A similar figure was reached in the last five matches involving Sunderland - 5.2. In contrast, games with Liverpool see fewer cards, averaging 3.8. However, the upcoming clash promises high intensity. The teams are on the brink of the top 5, and a win could propel one of them into the European competition spots. Our prediction: total yellow cards over 3.5.
⚽️ Goals Prediction
The battle for a spot in European competitions is set to be fiercely contested, often at the expense of goal-scoring opportunities. Matches involving these teams rarely feature high goal totals. In 30 of Sunderland's last 32 games, no more than three goals were scored, as was the case in 10 of Liverpool's last 11 matches. Under these circumstances, a bet on total goals under 3.5 seems reasonable.
🚩 Corners Prediction
Liverpool's dominance has waned in recent times. The Merseysiders no longer pin opponents to their goal line, though they still perform well positionally. Yet, their high defensive line, particularly against Sunderland's counterattacking style, could impact not just scoring chances but also set pieces. Sunderland's corner count is notably low, yet they have taken at least three corners in 18 of their last 20 matches. We recommend taking advantage of favorable odds and betting on Sunderland's total corners over 2.5.
Editor's Prediction
For our main bet, we'll focus on the current form of the teams involved. While Sunderland's results leave little room for doubt, Liverpool's inconsistency highlights their vulnerabilities. Predicting the mindset of the "Scousers" heading into a match has become increasingly challenging, so let's turn to the stats instead. Liverpool's expected goals average falls just short of 1.5, and they haven't scored more than two goals in eight consecutive games. Sunderland's defensive setup of 5-4-1 doesn't suggest a goal fest from the hosts either, making the odds on Liverpool's goal tally quite appealing. We believe that Liverpool's total goals will be under 2.5. We'll see if the difference in class makes an impact, potentially allowing Arne Slot's side to secure a routine 2-0 victory.
Betting Tips: Liverpool - Sunderland
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Comparison of Teams Stats
Other predictions
