There haven’t been many more durable nuts to crack within the Premier League this season than making an attempt to beat Sunderland away, however did because of Virgil van Dijk’s header and the ability and artistry of Florian Wirtz.
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It was scrappy and messy; a dogfight. made it a battle from begin to end as Régis Le Bris’s facet did what they’ve executed to so many groups earlier than this season. They had been direct, bodily and harmful, however Liverpool stood agency. They confirmed a steely facet on Wearside and in the course of all of it was their little German maestro.
Wirtz had initially discovered the velocity and aggression of the Premier League troublesome. All of it appeared just a little an excessive amount of for a participant raised within the Bundesliga. A £116m price ticket appeared as heavy because the tackles he acquired.
Wirtz has been quickly bettering, making the changes in his recreation for a while, however in standing tall on this conflict, the 22-year-old appeared like a boy turning into a person.
There aren’t many more durable environments for an away staff’s playmaker to thrive in than the Stadium of Gentle, in entrance of that crowd, towards this Sunderland staff, however a few of Wirtz’s touches, passing and link-up play had been chic.
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He danced and jinked across the pitch, driving challenges, discovering house and he at all times appeared the almost certainly participant to open up Sunderland’s inflexible, well-drilled defence.
It was his strike from the sting of the world that drew the primary save of the sport, Robin Roefs diving to tip it round a put up, and it was his shot towards a put up that got here closest to giving Liverpool the lead earlier than half-time.
He was unfortunate to not discover the underside nook, but it surely was the cuteness of his first contact that created the house and angle for him to whip the shot past Roefs within the first place that grabbed you.
Skilful gamers want to indicate they can’t be bullied in English soccer and this was additional proof that Witrz is attending to grips with that facet of issues.
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It’s important to earn the suitable to play your recreation, in your model, towards a staff like Sunderland, and that’s what Wirtz and Liverpool did.
Even with Mohamed Salah trying off form, heavy in contact and legs, Liverpool had been consistently threatening to chop via Sunderland’s again line. The actual fact it took a objective from a set-piece for them to lastly accomplish that doesn’t inform the complete story.
“In nearly all of the issues we did, we did them properly,” Arne Slot, the Liverpool supervisor, stated. “We needed to defend an terrible lot of lengthy balls and we did it rather well. We received a number of second balls and on the ball we performed rather well.
“The one factor [I can criticise] is if you generate so many probabilities you must rating a couple of objective. However tonight one was sufficient as a result of we defended very, very properly.”
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This was by no means going to be a simple process for Liverpool, however they held agency to safe a win that cleared a path for them again into the highest 4. The one dangerous information was a serious-looking ankle damage to Wataru Endo, who was taken off on a stretcher within the second half, shortly after Van Dijk had headed them in entrance. “His [Endo’s] damage doesn’t look good,” Slot stated gloomily. “And I anticipate he’ll be out for fairly a very long time.”
Issues didn’t look good however he stayed on the pitch to defend another set-piece.
That act of bravery encapsulated Liverpool’s night and with Chelsea and Manchester United each dropping factors on Tuesday, this was a vital win, in testing situations.
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This was exactly the form of recreation Liverpool’s supervisor might have executed with out after the . A recreation Liverpool wanted to win and had been anticipated to win, but they had been going through an unbeaten opponent at residence.
Sunderland are a horrible staff to play towards. It’s the largest praise you possibly can pay them and neither Arsenal or Manchester Metropolis had been adequate to win right here. Aston Villa might additionally solely handle a draw, regardless of enjoying towards 10 males, whereas Chelsea had been overwhelmed at Stamford Bridge.
Sunderland have maintained their early-season momentum, particularly in entrance of a house crowd that bays for blood on nights like these.
In Brian Brobbey, Sunderland have a battering ram of a centre-forward, robust, fast and with a rugby participant’s love of contact in open subject. He was a menace once more, however Ibrahima Konaté and Van Dijk dealt with him properly. In addition they coped properly with Sunderland’s thrilling new signing, winger Nilson Angulo.
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Liverpool needed to be resolute. They may not permit themselves to be bullied; kicked and knocked out of their stride.
It led to a recreation of few probabilities within the first half, Wirtz the one one to go shut, however having seen off an early flurry of Sunderland assaults firstly of the second, Liverpool took management once more.
Defensively, Sunderland had been enjoying on the sting. And having blocked a sequence of photographs or damaged up ominous assaults with a late intervention, Liverpool discovered their opening via a set piece.
Salah’s shot had been deflected vast however, when Roefs got here for and missed his nook, Van Dijk’s glancing header was travelling for the nook of the web, at velocity. Standing on the road all Habib Diarra might do was redirect into the roof of his personal web.
10:53pm
And at last and eventually, right here’s Régis Le Bris through TNT Sports activities
We confronted an excellent staff with good gamers and it was one other huge problem.
The mindset of the staff was good although we struggled a bit through the first half, the second half was a bit higher
Advantageous margins resolve this form of recreation. We had a few probabilities but it surely wasn’t sufficient. It’s important to be actually composed within the ultimate third, you need to be actually artistic however that wasn’t the case. They defended properly.
We maintain going. This place has to remain a powerful place. With our crowd and our confidence we will maintain it going like that.
10:44pm
And at last Arne Slot speaks to TNT Sports activities
In nearly all of the issues we did, we did them properly. We needed to defend an terrible lot of lengthy balls and we did it rather well. We received a number of second balls and on the ball we performed rather well. The one factor [I can criticise] is if you generate so many probabilities you must rating a couple of objective.
However tonight one was sufficient as a result of we defended very, very properly.
A ‘little bit’ of dangerous luck wouldn’t be the way in which I might describe this season however if you take a look at all the possibilities we created maybe we would have liked luck to attain that objective as a result of there have been so many higher probabilities, although our set-pieces had been superb which is sweet as a result of [it hasn’t been that way this season]. To attain with a set-piece to win when previously we’ve had 9 or 10 and couldn’t rating [was great].
Very happy. In nearly all of the video games we performed towards these [promoted teams] we had so many probabilities like we had tonight however weren’t capable of rating from a set-piece. Tonight we couldn’t rating from open play. It’s inconceivable to consider.
Set-pieces make a distinction for thus many groups on this league and tonight it made a distinction for us.
His [Endo’s] damage doesn’t look good, and I anticipate he’ll be out for fairly a very long time. Within the right-back place we’ve had a number of accidents however what a mentality of his. Issues didn’t look good however he stayed on the pitch to defend another set-piece.
Steven [Gerrard] is within the studio and he can let you know if you play for or handle Liverpool, each recreation is a should win. Once we had been high of the league we felt we would have liked to win each recreation and it feels the identical now. That’s the strain you must embrace in case you play for Liverpool otherwise you’re within the mistaken place.
10:20pm
Virgil van Dijk talks to TNT Sports activities
Nice win, exhausting work on a really attention-grabbing and troublesome pitch. Happy with the three factors and we go once more on the weekend.
[How difficult were the conditions?] It was fairly the circumstances. That’s the least you possibly can say about it but it surely was the identical for either side.
They confirmed this season how troublesome it’s to beat them. A really hard-working staff. For us to win and maintain the clear sheet it’s a very good night time for us.
Ibou [Konaté] was excellent, Macca [Mac Allister] in entrance, everybody put a shift in. Happy with the fellows, they labored so exhausting. It’s nice to see.
I can’t deny that it appears like an enormous three factors. However there are nonetheless 12 extra video games to go. We now have to seek out consistency, maintain bettering. Try to maintain constructing, attempt to keep match as properly, keep assured and maintain bettering. At this time was an excellent step ahead with and with out the ball.
Get well and we play on Saturday at 8 o’clock towards Brighton, a really troublesome staff to beat. Now, we get better.
10:14pm
Liverpool grind out victory
Superb efficiency from Liverpool, environment friendly on the again plus the aptitude of Ekitike, Salah and, particularly, Wirtz. Van Dijk and Konaté had been glorious and the captain was the person of the match.
10:12pm
Full time: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
Sunderland free-kick round midway. It’s floated into the field however Ballard fouls Van Dijk whereas battling for it and that’s that. Liverpool are the primary staff to breach the Stadium of Gentle’s curtain partitions this season.
10:10pm
90+7 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
Salah makes use of his proper foot to fireside a shot throughout objective and possibly half a yard previous the left put up.
10:09pm
90+6 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
Geertruida runs throughout Salah as he tried to work the ball on to his left foot to shoot and nips it behind for a nook. Sunderland defend it stoutly with Liverpool, clearly, not committing many ahead. Silky abilities from Roefs within the field, feinting and dropping Jones who buys the dummy, to clear.
10:07pm
90+5 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
Liverpool enjoying keepball and Jones’s pretty L-shaped flick began it.
10:06pm
90+3 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
Sunderland have despatched Ballard up entrance. Mundle hits the deck after dropping the ball within the Liverpool field and working into Mac Allister. The ref waves his hand as Sunderland flip to bellow an enchantment.
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Isisdor → Diarra.
10:05pm
90+1 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
There will probably be seven minutes of added time after Endo’s damage. Sunderland have the ball excessive on the suitable and Mukiele arrows over a deep cross. Gomez reads the flight and bravely cushions a headed back-pass to Alisson.
10:03pm
89 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
Chiesa → Ekitike
Just a few gaps among the many residence followers now. They should have been soaked. Liverpool hog the ball for a minute and maintain Sunderland 60 yards from their objective.
10:01pm
88min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
Salah drops again to assist Gomez and wins the ball to take it away from Mundle, triggering a counter with Ekitike striding down the left to feed the ball throughout the 18-yard line. Jones runs on to it, leans again fatally and spoons a shot over the bar.
10:00pm
86 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
Alisson plucks Mukiele’s cross out of the sky, stopping it from reaching Brobbey.
09:59pm
84 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
Sunderland are taking care of the ball properly in a interval of probing. After they twice work the ball into the field although, first Brobbey slips after which Mundle’s cross is bundled away by Jones.
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Sadiki’s reverse go searching for Le Price rattles out for a goal-kick.
09:56pm
81 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
Reinildo picks out Mundle with a fantastic go into the field however the substitute turns the mistaken method along with his again to objective and runs into Gomez and Konate.
09:54pm
79 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
Golden likelihood for Ekitike after some affected person build-up. Robertson bent a cross in from the left and Ekitike slipped between Alderete and Reinildo to move it however made a hash of the connection and scuffed it vast.
Talbi → AnguloMundle → HumeGeertruida → Alderete
09:50pm
77 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
Mukiele seems on the suitable, drives diagonally into the field previous Robertson and thunders a shot over the close to put up whereas Le Price is screaming for him to sq. it.
09:49pm
75 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
Ekitike snaffles a poor Sunderland go however as a substitute of capturing from 22 yards he fires go out to the suitable that’s too heavy for Salah to regulate.
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Jones → Gakpo.
Gakpo has been poor this half.
09:47pm
73 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
Now the house followers are screaming for a penalty when Konate makes a fantastic however dangerous sort out on Brobbey within the field, telescoping out his left leg to hook the ball away whereas additionally knocking the massive fella off his ft. Hume heads over from the left-wing cross when the ball spun out to that facet.
09:45pm
71 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
Salah’s shot hits Le Price on the suitable hand as he turned in his field. Salah makes a tentative request for a penalty however the referee shakeshis head and VAR agrees with him.
09:44pm
69 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
Gomez → Endo.
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Van Dijk wins the header on the close to put up from Sunderland’s nook and Wirtz performs a beautiful go to Salah. Liverpool had been poised to flood ahead on the counter till Gakpo’s clumsy contact killed the break.
09:41pm
66 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1
Melee within the Liverpool field straight after the opening objective. Endo is injured when his studs stick within the turf as he slid to attempt to cease a ball reaching Angulo, turning it behind.
Wataru Endo stretches for the ball beneath the nostril of Nilson Angulo – Lee Smith/Motion Photos
He troopers on after remedy after which performs his half within the penalty-box pinball that follows the nook, Liverpool throwing themselves in entrance of photographs and headers till it goes behind once more. And Endo then goes down once more. Regarded like he twisted his ankle horribly. The curse of the Liverpool right-back continues.
Endo went to floor after sustaining a nasty trying damage – Andy Buchanan/AFP
Right here comes the stretcher and, he should be in a nasty method, the inflatable splint.
The Liverpool and Japan right-back was taken off on a stretcher – Owen Humphreys/PA
09:34pm Video • Objectives
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GOAL!
Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1 (Van Dijk) Will get his head on Salah’s umpteenth inswinging nook. He met it crisply six yards out and it hit Diarra who was guarding the left put up and went in. It was heading in the right direction so Van Dijk will probably be given credit score for scoring.
09:33pm
60 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Reinildo blocks Salah’s shot along with his head after Ekitiek dribbled in from the left and arrange the capturing likelihood to the suitable of the penalty spot.
09:32pm
59 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Mukiele bounds down the suitable, steps inside on to his left and hooks a shot from 20 yards vast.
09:31pm
58 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Brobbey is finally whistled offside however appeared on. And but Konaté was too good for him when going through up the centre-forward.
09:30pm
57 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
A give and go between Wirtz and Gravenberch tees up the Germany playmaker for a shot from 16 yards. Ballard spreads himself and blocks the trouble that was aimed on the backside proper nook.
09:28pm
55 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Liverpool nook on the suitable. Roefs punches Salah’s centre away on the close to put up and Sunderland block the left-wing cross out for a throw-in.
09:27pm
54 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Roefs goes down like a sack of spuds when Ekitike unwisely tries to cease him releasing the ball shortly with a hand on his neck. Pointless on each components.
09:27pm
52 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Hume has a dig from 25 yards or so, chopping his proper foot throughout the ball that makes it wobble because it climbs and clears the bar. The chance got here from an extended go performed right down to the Sunderland captain by Diarra.
Wirtz has been one of the best participant up to now – Scott Heppell/Reuters
09:23pm
50 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Ekitike sends Ballard off for a pint of milk and the night paper with a beautiful contact on the left then bombs off however Gakpo doesn’t learn the go and Sunderland get better.
09:22pm
49 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Appears like they’ve determined to focus on Endo. Now Reinildo attracts the stand-in right-back then slips Diarra down the surface. He arcs over a cross and Alisson punches it away on the again stick.
09:21pm
47 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Angulo beats Endo, switches again on to his left then sends a swerving cross via the 18-yard field.
09:20pm
46 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
No adjustments. Liverpool kick off. Fencing up to now, Liverpool have to play faster extra typically, Sunderland go extra direct.
09:09pm
Half-time verdict
Liverpool have remained composed regardless of a sometimes bodily and combative show from Sunderland, however Slot’s facet haven’t been scientific. Florian Wirtz has been one of the best participant on the pitch within the first half and got here closest to a objective, an excellent first contact creating the angle and the house for a shot which hit the put up.
Sunderland look stretched on the again every time Liverpool go the ball shortly however have held agency.
09:07pm
Half-time: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Liverpool have been the extra assertive facet for the previous half-hour after a vivid begin by Sunderland. Gakpo and Wirtz are linking up properly, Ekitike is making some intelligent runs however Sunderland are disrupting them with Brobbey main the press and the entire facet making certain there are nearly no gaps. When little pockets do seem, defenders have thrown themselves within the line of photographs courageously and for all the remaining they’ve had the magnificent Roefs and the woodwork. Sunderland might strive a special tack when going ahead, launching it to Brobbey and getting Hume, Angulo and Diarra nearer to the brilliantly efficient raw-boned bruiser.
09:03pm
45+1 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Sadiki dips a shoulder, beats Mac Allister and whips over a low cross from the suitable. Brobbey goes down after Konate let’s go and there’s a loud enchantment for a penalty however once more the referee is unmoved. Every had a maintain of the opposite earlier than the ball got here in. Six of 1 and many others.
09:01pm
45 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Good block from Ballard thwarts Mac Allister after which Liverpool put the ball out as a result of Diarra is damage, his foot having been trodden on by Gakpo after he miscontrolled the ball.
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Solely a minute of stoppage time to return.
08:59pm
43 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Salah hits the primary defender along with his nook and, when Mac Allister traps the clearance and works it again out to the winger, he floats his subsequent try down the keeper’s throat.
08:58pm
41 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
The tenacious Robertson glides previous Gakpo who performs him right down to the byline. He meets the ball earlier than the whitewash, fizzes his cross however Roefs stands out a foot to divert it away from Ekitike and Sunderland scramble it behind for a nook.
08:56pm
39 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Angulo drives a shot from the left straight at Alisson after which Sunderland’s crowd needs a penalty when Konate vies with Brobbey for the ball within the field, claiming a holding offence. However no referee is giving that.
08:55pm
37 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Wirtz nearly pounces on a Ballard error when he tries to loop a header over Roefs however as Ally McCoist says he didn’t decide to it, turned turtle having caught the onrushing Roefs within the nook of his eye and half pulled out of it fearing the collision. Roefs places up his arm to grab the tame effort.
08:53pm
35 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Liverpool nook on the left that flies via the six-yard field as inexperienced photographs bumped into purple and white ones in a packed penalty space. The nook got here from a deflected Van Dijk shot.
08:51pm Video
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33 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Wirtz hits the foot of the suitable put up with a shot threaded via along with his left instep from the left of the field after a stunning contact to set it up along with his proper foot, cushioning Gakpo’s whacked go.
08:48pm
31 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Wirtz lastly finds a niche and hammers a shot from 22 yards along with his proper that Roefs claws previous the put up and out for a nook. Van Dijk wins the header from the nook however with the mistaken connection. It struck the again of his pomaded head and went over. As Ally McCoist factors out, he managed to win that header as a result of Salah was working an efficient disruptive quantity on Ballard.
08:45pm
29 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Gravenberch lets fly from 25 yards into Brobbey and the ball spins up and loops out to the suitable to Salah. However there’s no house for him to go ahead and he has to go sideways.
08:44pm
27 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Sunderland followers break right into a minute’s applause for a lifeling fan George Forster who died on the age of 99 just lately. The gamers additionally paid tribute to him on the kick-off. Gakpo drives previous Mukiele to achieve the byline then wallops over a cross that Sunderland clear earlier than Ekitike can pounce.
08:42pm
25 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Wirtz is doing a number of Salah’s defensive work on the suitable wing and has simply received one other very important sort out to show defence into assault. Liverpool work it again up the suitable however when a cross is stood as much as the again put up, Robertson can’t do something with it. Too excessive.
08:40pm
23 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Some effing and jeffing from a foghorn-voiced residence fan when Reinildo is booked for holding Salah’s shoulder briefly to attempt to cease him slipping away and latching on to a ahead go.
08:39pm
21 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
It’s fairly a cagey recreation. Liverpool have simply had a nook on the after Robertson and Wirtz mix down the left to cross searching for Ekitike. The ball hits Hume and scuttles behind. Nothing got here of it as a result of Ballard and Alderete are profitable each aerial cross.
08:37pm
18 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Some disquite breaks into sustained applause when Sunderland spring right into a counter with Angulo turning on a sixpence and shifts it to Mukiele working down the suitable. He fizzes in a really menacing cross in direction of Brobbey however Konate is caught to him like Bostik and telescopes out a leg to cease him hooking it in from six yards.
Omar Alderete hounds Hugo Ekitike – Andy Buchanan/AFP
08:31pm
15 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Undeterred by that painful blow, Brobbey now matches Konate’s energy to carry the ball up along with his again to objective till Hume arrives to assist.
Brian Brobbey should be a nightmare to defend towards. He’s robust, fast and has a rugby participant’s love of contact with a defender. There may be finesse on this Sunderland’s facet however he’s the battering ram and a really efficient one. A steal at £17.5m from Ajax.
08:30pm
14 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Alert defending from Reinildo stops Salah and Ekitike exploiting some confusion with Roefs as he got here off his line to attempt to collect an extended Liverpool go.
08:29pm
12 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Konate nuts the again of Brobbey’s head as they struggle for a lofted ball. Unintentional but it surely damage.
08:28pm
11 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Endo wins an vital header and triggers a affected person Liverpool assault up the suitable which they then swap over to Gakpo as Sunderland maintain them on the 18-yard line till Ekitike tries to string a go down the inside-left for Gakpo and overhits it.
Ibrahima Konaté challenges Brian Brobbey – Stu Forster/Getty Photos
08:24pm
8 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Liverpool can have a nook after a swift passing transfer down the suitable between Salah and Wirtz. Alderete will get his foot as much as flip Wirtz’s cross behind. Salah’s cross from the nook is seen off on the close to put up however Liverpool come again and engineer a header for Gakpo that Ballard heads again in direction of Roefs, taking the sting out of it.
08:21pm
6 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
First spell of sustained Liverpool possession, transferring the ball round, probing. Sunderland keep their defensive form, leaving little house to go ahead and keep there.
08:20pm
5 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Alisson comes miles off his line to punch Roefs’ lengthy ball into the field. He punches it out for a throw-in. Sunderland trick Liverpool once more by going brief once more after hamming up their intention to hurl it lengthy however Liverpool then drive them on to the again foot.
08:19pm
3 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Sunderland take the nook brief and Le Price works it again to Angulo bit when the cross-shot lastly comes it’s floated far too near Alisson. Sunderland have began with the starvation of ravenous males, snapping into the press, biting into tackles.
The pre-match construct up on the Stadium of Gentle is one of the best within the Premier League, capped off by the fantastic sound of 45,000 Mackems singing Elvis Presley’s Can’t Assist Falling in Love simply earlier than kick off. I received’t take any counter arguments.
08:17pm
1 min: Sunderland 0 Liverpool 0
Clever males say solely fools rush in… there’s a purple and white seaside ball by Alisson’s objective which he removes earlier than Sunderland kick-off, roll it again to Roefs who wellies it lengthy up the left the place he’s rewarded with a throw-in. Towel wanted already by Hume for the ball. The truth is they work it brief then swap it throughout to Mukiele excessive on the suitable. Robertson blocks his cross and Sunderland have an early nook.
08:12pm
The groups come out of the tunnel
Sunderland in purple, white and black, Liverpool in inexperienced and white, a lighter shade of white than Ronny Rosenthal Carlsberg classic.
08:05pm
The rain is horizontal
The wind is up too. All the time nice to be at matches when the pitch is slick like this, supplied you’re beneath cowl.
07:52pm
One other phrase from Arne Slot, chatting with TNT Sports activities
All through the entire season we’ve struggled on that place rather a lot and it’s not the primary time Endo has performed as a full-back. I’ve two good full-backs on the [left] facet, it’s one other time we’ve performed three video games in seven days, and there aren’t many instances Milos [Kerkez] has executed this as a result of he didn’t have European soccer at Bournemouth. He struggled just a little bit with enjoying so many instances and Robbo is a superb substitute so I take advantage of Robbo.
There are 13 video games to be performed and we all know we’ve to win a number of them to get to the place we wish to be. We additionally know that yesterday’s outcomes weren’t too dangerous for us however that may change each week and we’ve to deal with ourselves and [ensure] our outcomes mirror our performances earlier than as a result of that has been our drawback this season.
07:35pm
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07:32pm
Arne Slot’s pre-match ideas
[Most challenging season of your career?] By a mile. As a result of all the opposite season I’ve managed there was solely positives, I don’t assume I’ve ever misplaced two video games in a row [before].
It’s an exception this season for me, as it’s for the gamers, the gamers aren’t used to dropping rather a lot or having a number of attracts.
It’s completely different with the season we’re having now than all the opposite seasons I’ve managed the place we at all times did one thing particular – and there’s nonetheless the likelihood that we will do one thing particular this season as properly.
To shut the hole of 4, 5 factors to 3rd, fourth, fifth, which means you need to win rather a lot, and that’s not what we’ve executed this season. That’s why that must be higher and we’ve to return near perfection.
Margins are certainly very small. Seven minutes earlier than the tip we thought we had been 5 factors behind Metropolis, and 5 minutes later we had been 11 factors behind.
If we don’t have Champions League soccer, it’s positively not been an appropriate season. After I arrived right here we might solely signal Federico Chiesa, and that was after a Europa League season, in order that does have an unlimited affect in the way in which this membership is run.
Arne Slot spoke this week about his latest struggles with Liverpool – Martin Swinney/Getty Photos
07:23pm
Your groups in black and white
Sunderland Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Reinildo; Sadiki, Le Price; Hume, Diarra, Angulo; Brobbey. Substitutes Ellborg, Cirkin, Geertruida, Talbi, Rigg, Mayenda, O’Nien, Mundle, Isidor.
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Liverpool Alisson; Endo, Konaté, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike. Substitutes Mamardashvili, Gomez, Kerkez, Chiesa, Jones, Nyoni, Ramsay, Morrison, Ngumoha.
Referee Chris Kavanagh (Ashton-under-Lyne)
07:13pm
Slot is not going to relish cominh right here
That is exactly the form of recreation Arne Slot might have executed with out after the painful defeat by Manchester Metropolis final weekend.
It’s a recreation Liverpool have to win and are anticipated to win however Sunderland are a horrible staff to play towards and have the one unbeaten residence document within the Premier League.
With a 5 level hole opening up between themselves and Chelsea in fifth place, even a draw would really feel underwhelming towards a newly promoted facet.
07:04pm
Two adjustments for Liverpool
Endo replaces the suspended Szoboszlai and Robertson rotates in for Kerkez:
07:03pm
Sunderland staff information
One change: Angulo replaces Talbi who got here off early towards Arsenal.
06:22pm
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06:20pm
Preview: Defending the fortress
Good night and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s reside protection of Sunderland vs Liverpool from the Stadium of Gentle which begins with the house facet in eleventh and the guests in sixth. After final night time’s video games and, particularly, Chelsea’s draw with Leeds United and Manchester United’s draw with West Ham United, a victory for Liverpool would go away them the place they’re however would shut the hole to Chelsea to 2 factors, a fillip within the pursuit of Champions League qualification that Arne Slot’s Boston overlords would in all probability think about a naked necessity.
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However that’s not going to be straightforward is it, given Sunderland have the proud document of the one unbeaten residence document within the England skilled recreation. The truth is you need to go down so far as Harborough City within the seventh tier Southern Soccer League Premier Central to seek out one other membership who can justifiably declare they’ve made a fortress of their residence, of their case Bowden Park. Though that defeat by Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Saturday was sobering, Sunderland’s seven residence wins and 5 attracts, plus their 1-1 draw at Anfield in December, when Liverpool wanted a deflection to equalise and a late Federico Chiesa goal-line clearance to take a degree, can have them in good coronary heart.
Of their 4 night kick-offs at residence, Sunderland have drawn three and received one whereas Liverpool’s document away from residence beneath the floodlights this season reads two wins, two attracts and three defeats. Having thrown away a lead towards Man Metropolis on Sunday, then surrendered a degree by conceding an injury-time penalty and had Dominik Szoboszlai despatched off in a letter of the regulation denial-of-goal-scoring-opportunity farce, they arrive on Wearside with out even their makeshift right-back given Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong are nonetheless out. Curtis Jones could need to fill in until Joe Gomez, who returned to coaching solely yesterday, could be rushed again. Alexander Isak and Giovanni Leoni are their different two long-term absentees.
Granit Xhaka, Bertrand Traoré and January signing Jocelin Ta Bi are all lacking for Sunderland as they pursue their first recreation victory over Liverpool since 2012 when Nicklas Bendtner’s tap-in proved the winner for a facet then managed by Martin O’Neill. A primary win for them internet hosting Liverpool previously six conferences on Wearside would take them again as much as eighth and above Newcastle, Bournemouth and Everton.