Sunderland vs Liverpool live: Latest score and updates after Jermain Defoe's penalty equaliser
A look ahead to the Premier League fixture at the Stadium of Light
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Your support makes all the difference.Liverpool can close the gap on league leaders Chelsea with victory over struggling Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
Jurgen Klopp’s side appear to be the main challengers to Antonio Conte’s west London juggernaut and can go to within six points of the pacesetters on Monday.
Sunderland were woeful in their 4-1 defeat to Burnley on Saturday and increasingly seem doomed to life in the Championship next season.
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It’s a big game for…
Simon Mignolet: The Liverpool shot-stopper has been the subject of some criticism this season and will hope to silence his critics when he returns to the Stadium of Light.
Despite letting that Jon Walters header beat him at his near post against Stoke, the Belgian kept a clean sheet in the big match against Manchester City on New Year’s Eve.
Best stat…
9: Liverpool are unbeaten against Sunderland in nine games with the last time the Black Cats coming out on top being a 1-0 win in 2012.
Remember when…
Darren Bent scored the winner in a 1-0 win against Liverpool after getting a big hand by a very unusual object – a beachball.
The ball was thrown on to the pitch by a fan and diverted Bent’s shot past the helpless Pepe Reina in the Liverpool goal.
Prediction
Player to watch…
Adam Lallana: The attacking-midfielder looks invigorated this season, after taking him some while to settle on Merseyside.
Lallana is Liverpool’s second top goalscorer in the league this season, bagging seven goals but he’s also managed to rack up seven assists too, making him a pivotal member of this Liverpool side. Sunderland will have to prioritise keeping him quite to try to quell the visitors’ attacks.
Past three meetings…
Liverpool 2 (Origi, Milner) Sunderland 0
Premier League, November 2016
Liverpool 2 (Firmino, Lallana) Sunderland 2 (Johnson, Defoe)
Premier League, February 2016
Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1 (Benteke)
Premier League, December 2015
Form guide…
Sunderland: WLLWLL
Liverpool: LDWWWW
Vital information…
Kick-off time: 15:00
TV: Highlights on Match of the Day, BBC One, Monday 2 January 10.30pm
Odds…
Sunderland to win: 9/1
Liverpool to win: 7/20
Draw: 9/2
70 mins: Two good headed chances in the space of 60 seconds! First, Leonardo Ulloa planted Christian Fuch's corner straight into the arms of Brad Guzan, and then at the other end, Adam Forshaw mistimed his aerial involvement in his attempt to meet George Friend's excellent cross from the left, and allowed the ball to bobble safely through to Kasper Schmeichel.
73 mins: A couple of changes for Leicester City. First, Ahmed Musa took over from Riyad Mahrez, and now another tricky wide player in Demarai Gray is on for Shinji Okazaki.
83 mins: Ramirez should have won it for Middlesbrough! A Fabio cross from the right wing was headed lazily away by Wes Morgan, straight to the Uruguayan ten yards from goal. Deciding to take on the chance first time, the unmarked playmaker fizzed a half-volley into the side-netting with Kasper Schmeichel stranded. It was the best chance of 83 unmemorable minutes.
86 mins: There's a break in play as Ben Gibson receives treatment for a head injury. Looking on, Middlesbrough Chairman Steve Gibson is an anxious man. I'm not sure if it's because of concern he has for his nephew's wellbeing or because he knows it's going mean this game drags on a few minutes extra.
90 mins: Yep. There will be five more minutes of this rubbish. A goal now would just annoy me.
90+4 mins: Middlesbrough are pressing. Just not very well.
Come on ref, put us all out of our misery.
90+6 mins: Gaston Ramirez brings down Andy King 30 yards from goal. It will be a free-kick to Leicester. They couldn't, could they?
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