Key events
Arne Slot has admitted he felt uneasy about letting go of Mohamed Salah after the striker’s eight phenomenal seasons at Liverpool.and said he wanted him to “do something special” on the pitch rather than sitting miserably on the bench.
Omitting Salah was Slot’s big decision at West Ham on Sunday as the Liverpool head coach found a solution to the Premier League champions’ dismal results. The Egypt international, who will feature in the Africa Cup of Nations on December 15, has struggled to reach his usual level this season and is not guaranteed to return against Sunderland at Anfield on Wednesday.
Team News
Mo Salah is back on the bench for Liverpool, making one change to the team that won at West Ham: Andy Robertson replaces Milos Kerkez at left back.
Sunderland move to a back five, with two changes from the team that started against Bournemouth on Saturday. Trai Hume And Brian Brobbey replace Bertrand Traoré and Wilson Isidor.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1) Alisson; Gomez, Konaté, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, MacAllister; Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isaac.
Substitutes: Mamardashvili, Endo, Kerkez, Salah, Chiesa, Jones, Ekitike, Nyoni, Ngumoha.
Sunderland (5-2-2-1) Roofs; Hume, Mukielle, Ballard, Alderet, Reinaldo; Xhaka Sadiki; The Fairy, Talbi; Brobey.
Substitutes: Patterson, O’Nien, Geertruida, Neil, Mundle, Adingra, Traoré, Mayenda, Isidor.
Arbitrator Stuart Attwell.
There are five more Premier League games tonightincluding leader Arsenal at home against Igor Thiago. You can follow them with Daniel Harris.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Liverpool v Sunderland at Anfield. Who would have thought, when the fixture list was released in the summer, that Sunderland would be above Liverpool going into this game? An eejit, that’s who, or someone who time traveled from the future with a copy of the Utilita Fotball Yearbook 2026-27.
There are two sides to this improbable story. Liverpool’s form collapsed after a perfect start to the season; Sunderland started brightly and maintained that level. They have had famous results before, including victory at Stamford Bridge, but a first victory at Anfield since 1983 would be top of the pack.
To start up 8:15 p.m.
