English Premier
2025-12-03 - Liverpool vs Sunderland
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Wednesday 3rd December 2025 - Kick Off 8:15pm
This game is live on TV
Liverpool
The losses have been piling up and some of the non-match going fans have begun to spin the PR against Arne Slot as manager of Liverpool, although those in the stands and the boardroom remain committed to the Dutchman. He has been given some leeway considering he took Liverpool to only the second English title in 35 years in May, but Arne Slot is well aware that this is a results business and he needs his team to pick up some momentum over the coming weeks.
Big decisions were made by the manager in terms of the team selection on Sunday and Liverpool responded as Arne Slot would have wanted in beating West Ham United at the London Stadium. This has pushed The Reds back up into 8th place in the Premier League table and just 4 points behind 2nd placed Manchester City, although the focus is on themselves. This means Liverpool will be looking to improve the 4-0-2 record at Anfield and try and string some positive results together.
Liverpool ended a run of 3 straight defeats in all competitions when winning in East London and will have been very pleased to have done that with a clean sheet as a bonus. In a surprising turn of events, Liverpool have lost 4 of the last 6 at Anfield in all competitions, including back to back defeats where they have conceded at least three goals in each loss.
Arne Slot has admitted that the likes of Joe Gomez, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak cannot be asked to play as many minutes as usual following returns from injury and all may be dropped to the bench, despite big impacts in the win at West Ham United. This could allow Mo Salah back into the starting lineup after being dropped on Sunday, while the likes of Curtis Jones and Hugo Ekitike can also come in. Conor Bradley is hoping to return on Saturday at Elland Road.
Sunderland
A decision has been made by the authorities that will allow Premier League clubs to hold onto their African Cup of Nations representatives until December 15th and that is huge for Sunderland. They play the first Tyne-Wear derby of the season on Sunday 14th December and is yet more good news for a club that continue to defy the odds.
In pre-season, Sunderland were odds on favourites to be relegated back into the Championship, but they have shown resiliency and real character in picking up 22 points already this season. That was all on display this past weekend when Sunderland came from 0-2 behind to beat Bournemouth 3-2, the first time they have trailed by two goals and won in the Premier League era. The Black Cats have a 2-1-3 away record in the top flight where they have scored 3 goals and conceded 6.
Sunderland had not won any of the past 3 Premier League games and fans might have already accepted they were on course for back to back defeats when falling 0-2 behind against Bournemouth before rallying for a victory. The side have lost 2 of the last 3 away Premier League games, but sandwiched in between is Sunderland's come from behind win at Stamford Bridge.
The squad looks about as healthy as can be hoped moving into December and the busy festive period. Manager Regis Le Bris may make one or two changes to freshen things up in a busy week where Sunderland travel to Anfield and the Etihad Stadium in the space of a few days.
Head to Head
These two clubs have not met since the 2016/17 Premier League season.
Liverpool took four points from Sunderland in that campaign.
They beat Sunderland 2-0 at Anfield and snapped a run of consecutive home draws against this opponent.
Prediction
There is no doubting the importance of the victory at the London Stadium on Sunday and Arne Slot will have been really pleased all around.
Dropping Mo Salah meant the pressure was on the manager, but those coming into the starting eleven responded just as Slot would have wanted.
Winning was important, but the manner of the 0-2 victory over struggling West Ham United will have really given the squad a confidence boost, although the challenge for Liverpool is back that victory up with a positive run of form.
The fixtures in the Premier League certainly allow them to build some momentum, although the manager has admitted he will need to make some changes to the starting eleven to make sure those returning from injury are having minutes managed. That will mean Joe Gomez, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak likely start on the bench after producing big performances in East London, but Arne Slot will be hoping it has just restored some hunger to those who had been left out.
Liverpool are back at Anfield where recent form has been disappointing, but they are still a team that will create a lot of chances and that gives them every chance to back up the victory by producing another.
Dismissing Sunderland would be a huge mistake and that is not likely to happen with the visiting team sitting above Liverpool in the table.
Regis Le Bris has to be so proud of his squad and the rally to beat Bournemouth on Saturday will have served as a reminder that Sunderland have all of the tools needed to survive at this level. With 22 points already on the board, Sunderland are well on the way to the 40 point mark that would have been targeted before a ball had been kicked in the 2025/26 campaign and The Black Cats have to be respected.
However, the underlying numbers in recent performances does suggest that Sunderland will find it hard to sustain positive results.
That has certainly been the case in recent away games where Sunderland have been second best by some distance in defeats at Manchester United and Fulham, although they did deservedly come from behind to beat Chelsea in between those defeats.
What you do know you will get from Sunderland is hard work and endeavour and that will keep them competitive more often than not.
In saying that, you do have to wonder how much energy was used in the fightback to beat Bournemouth on Saturday and Liverpool are certainly capable of creating chances and hurting the visiting team.
Sunderland are unlikely to be rolled over, but have failed to score in 4 of the 6 away games played in the top flight this season.
The attacking players that Liverpool are likely to bring in for this fixture will have something to prove after seeing the competitors within the squad produce some real quality on Sunday and this may see the home team do enough to secure a victory by a couple of goals.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Liverpool 2-0 Sunderland
