Liverpool v Sunderland
Barclays Premier League
Venue: Anfield Date: Saturday, 25 September Kick-off: 1500 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live, local radio, Final Score & highlights on Match of the Day
Venue: Anfield Date: Saturday, 25 September Kick-off: 1500 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live, local radio, Final Score & highlights on Match of the Day
TEAM NEWS
Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson will recall the senior players rested for the shock Carling Cup defeat by Northampton.
Dutch star Dirk Kuyt could make an earlier than expected return from a shoulder problem.
Sunderland are without Anton Ferdinand and Kieran Richardson, who both picked up hamstring injuries in midweek, but Titus Bramble is set to start.
Asamoah Gyan also hurt his hamstring against West Ham and is a major doubt, but Lee Cattermole is back from a ban.
Liverpool
Doubtful: Kuyt (shoulder)
Injured: Aurelio (Achilles)
Sunderland
Doubtful: Gyan (hamstring)
Injured: Campbell & Meyler (both knee), Gordon (arm), Ferdinand & Richardson (hamstring), Mensah (calf), Turner (ankle)
MATCH PREVIEW
Liverpool were not alone in making a surprise Carling Cup exit in midweek, but while the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City could afford to be philosophical following defeats against fellow Premier League sides, the Reds' loss to Northampton was far more alarming.
Losing to a side currently 17th in League Two was, as manager Roy Hodgson admitted afterwards, a "major setback". How Hogdson could do with a fit and firing Fernando Torres right now.
The Spaniard netted twice when Liverpool beat Sunderland in March, including a goal of the season contender to open the scoring. But since then he has managed just one league goal for the Reds, and has not looked the same player since rushing a return from knee surgery in time to make Spain's World Cup squad.
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Off the field problems continue to plague the Reds. The Spirit of Shankly fans' group plan two days of demonstrations against the club's owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, that will involve a mass protest at Saturday's game.
Steve Bruce's Black Cats side, who have lost just once in the league this season, will not fear a trip to Anfield. They showed again last weekend that they are no respecters of reputations by snatching a dramatic late point against Arsenal.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Sunderland have gone 12 games without a win at Anfield in all competitions, failing to score in their last six games there.
• The Black Cats' last win away to the Reds was a 1-0 victory on 1 October 1983.
• This will be the 155th meeting between the teams. Liverpool have won 71, Sunderland 51 and their have been 32 draws.
Liverpool
• The two goals Steven Gerrard scored against Manchester United on Sunday were his first in the league since netting against Burnley in April.
• The Reds have not scored a single goal in the first half of Premier League games this season.
Sunderland
• Only 12 of the Black Cats' 46 shots in the Premier League this season have been on target.
• Only two players have scored for Sunderland this season. Darren Bent has five goals and Asamoah Gyan two. They have also benefitted from a Stephen Carr own goal.
• Their first effort on target in their match with Arsenal last Saturday came in the 65th minute, via the head of Gunners' midfielder Denilson.
LEADING GOALSCORERS
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Liverpool
Ngog: 7 goals (1 league)
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Sunderland
Bent: 5 goals (3 league); Gyan: 2 goal (1 league)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Stuart Attwell
Assistant referees: Mike Cairns & Ron Ganfield
Fourth official: Lee Probert
LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
Liverpool (L2-3 v Manchester United, a): Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Konchesky (Agger 81), Meireles (Jovanovic 79), Poulsen, Maxi (Ngog 62), Gerrard, Cole, Torres. Subs not used: Jones, Kyrgiakos, Babel, Lucas.
Sunderland (D1-1 v Arsenal, h): Mignolet, Onuoha (Zenden 76), Bramble, Ferdinand, Richardson, Elmohamady, Riveros (Gyan 63), Henderson, Malbranque (Reid 86), Welbeck, Bent. Subs not used: Carson, Bardsley, Da Silva, Colback.
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