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
32 mins: RED CARD! MANCHESTER CITY 0 BURNLEY 0:
Fernandinho has been sent off...again! The Brazilian has seen red for the third time in just six matches. Following dismissals against Chelsea and Borussia Monchengladbach, the midfielder has received his marching orders against Burnley by Lee Mason for a reckless scissors-kick on Johann Berg Gudmundsson.
Pep Guardiola's men have been unable to break down Burnley in the opening half hour at the Etihad Stadium and will now have to play the final hour with ten men.
SECOND HALF KICK-OFF: Oranges have been sucked. Bovrils have been drunk. It's time for the football once again. As it stands, it's turning into a fine day for league leaders Chelsea without even playing. Their nearest rivals in action, Liverpool and Manchester City, are both being held by teams they were expected to beat. What will the next 45 minutes bring?
49 mins: GOAL! WEST BROM 1 HULL 1:
Chris Brunt has levelled it up at the Hawthorns at the start of this second half! Normally associated with left-footed piledrivers, less so crashing headers but that's exactly how the Northern Irishman has brought parity to the West Midlands. Matt Phillips' delivered the corner kick and there was the former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder at the back post to plant his effort past David Marshall and his defenders.
58 mins: GOAL! MANCHESTER CITY 1 BURNLEY 0:
Manchester City may need a miracle if they're to keep pace with the Chelsea juggernaut; a rare goal from Gael Clichy may be that miracle. Allowed to travel in from the left unchallenged, the Frenchman cut on to his weaker right foot just inside the Burnley box, and curled a superb effort past the reach of Tom Heaton.
62 mins: GOAL! WEST BROM 2 HULL 1:
Another corner, another West Bromwich Albion goal. This time it was Gareth McAuley on the end of Matt Phillips' delivery, and although Sam Clucas did all he could to steer the ball away from underneath the crossbar, GDS informed Mark Clattenburg that the header has crossed the line. The goal was given and Albion have come from behind to lead.
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