Match Day Preview:

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Matchweek:  Premier League - Matchweek 26

Who: Sunderland vs Liverpool

Place: Stadium of Light

Date:  Wednesday, February 11th

Time:  3:15 PM

Referee:  Chris Kavanagh

Platform:  Peacock

The Admin:

   Make sure to send in your photos to Queencitykopites@gmail.com!!  We are a selected chapter to appear in a video in Paisley Square as part of the OLSC's effort to highlight all the supporters around the world.  We need to send everything in by the 16th of February!  So get them sent in!

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The Preview:

  Let’s see.  Liverpool are coming off a home loss to Man City when we couldn’t hold a 1-0 lead after Dominik Szoboszlai’s worldie free kick. The Reds are playing on the road to the Black Cats who haven’t lost a home match this season (7W, 5D).  Dom is sitting this one out on a red card.  Arne Slot refuses to play the only fit right back2 we have on the squad in favor of Curtis Jones.  And our Reds have taken but 5 points out of their last 5 Premier League matches.  So, to put it mildly, the lads are up against it. But, both ManU and Chelsea left points on the table today (Tuesday) by drawing after they had each won four in a row, so that we’re only 5 back of 5th and 6 back of 4th (i.e., Champions League qualification) with a game in hand.  And Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz are still in our starting lineup.  Plus, Sunderland has not beaten Liverpool in the Premier League in their last 11 attempts (5 draws, 6 losses) since a 1-0 home win in March 2012’  So things could most definitely be worse. Indeed, the oddsmakers (DraftKings) have Liverpool as -135 favourites while Sunderland are +360 underdogs and a draw at +290.

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  • This match will be Alisson Becker’s 250th in the Premier League for Liverpool

  • Liverpool have 17 goals in their last 5 matches (all competitions)

  • In the 33 Premier League meetings, Liverpool have won 18, drawn 12 and lost 3

  • The Reds have suffered only three defeats in their last 32 league visits to Sunderland, dating back to August 1958; Liverpool  have won 19 and drawn 10, but 2 of those losses have come in the last 8

  • The Reds have conceded 12 goals in their last 25 league visits to Sunderland, keeping 16 clean sheets in the process    • Liverpool have lost just 1 of their last 28 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Premier League games (won 19, drew 8)  

  • 6 of the Reds’ last 8 midweek games have been draws (won 2), with both so far in 2026 finishing 0-0 (v. Leeds United and Arsenal)

  • Sunderland have scored just 19 goals in 33 Premier League meetings with Liverpool (0.6 per game)  

  • The Reds are unbeaten in their last five visits to the Stadium of Light (won 3, drew 2)

  • Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 19 Premier League games against promoted sides (won 14, drew 5), they have drawn each of the last 4  

Lineup Thoughts:

​    Sunderland OUT

• Granit Xhaka (ankle)

• Bertrand Traoré (knee)

    Liverpool OUT

• Dominik Szoboszlai (suspension)

• Stefan Bajčetić (hamstring)

• Conor Bradley (knee)*

• Jayden Danns (stress fracture)

• Jeremie Frimpong (hamstring)

• Alexander Isak (broken leg)  

• Giovanni Leoni (ACL)* QUESTIONABLE   *out for the season

• Joe Gomez (trained on Tuesday; likely on the bench) 

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Predicted XI:

                                                                                              Allison

                                                                         Jones | Konate | Van Dijk | Robertson

                                                                              Gravenberch | Mac Allister

                                                                                    Salah | Wirtz | Gakpo

                                                                                               Ekitike

vs​

 Brobbey

   Talbi | Le Fee | Hume

Diarra | Sadiki

 Reinildo  | Alderete | Ballard | Mukiele

Roefs

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Prediction:

   It’s very tempting to forecast a draw.  After all, the Black Cats have 5 draws in 12 home ties on Wearside, the sides drew at Anfield on December 3, and we all know the Reds’ propensity for draws (6 in 13 Prem matches) since that tie.  Even so, this one will not be a draw . . . Sunderland 1 : Liverpool 2

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