EPL Match Preview: Liverpool vs. Sunderland
It looks as if English football’s most successful club, Liverpool has dwindled into mediocrity ever since the English Premier League started and as they take on Sunderland, one can’t help but expect yet another blunder from them as Darren Bent and co. try
to get their first away win of the season.
Liverpool’s start to the season hasn’t been impressive by any means or in any sense of the word. It has been woeful to say the least and as the season tumbles on, one has come to anticipate some unsatisfactory performances by Liverpool players. In their
season’s first match, Liverpool played Arsenal at Anfield. A game that was dominated by the Reds but in the end, they had to be content with only a single point due to their goal keeper, Pepe Reina’s blunder.
Reina’s own goal gifted their equalizer on the afternoon whereas N’gog got the first goal of the match for Liverpool. After getting a one all draw, Liverpool then faced Manchester City at the City of Manchester stadium. This fixture turned out to be a complete
nightmare for Roy Hodgson’s team as City ripped through Liverpool’s fragile defense to score three goals without even conceding a reply.
It was a huge loss for the Merseyside reds, who have always taken pride in competing against the big boys of the EPL. Following their loss to City, Liverpool hosted West Bromwich Albion. The new boys expected a backlash from Liverpool’s frustrations against
Manchester City but in reality, what they got was just a one nil defeat that featured a brilliant goal by Fernando Torres. It was Fernando’s first goal of the new League season.
After disposing off West Brom, Liverpool then travelled to West Midlands to face Birmingham City in a match which they almost lost in all honesty. Liverpool emerged from the match with a clean sheet and only a single point due to Pepe Reina’s ‘heroics’.
However, Liverpool’s most humiliating defeat came at Old Trafford to their rivals, Manchester United. They went two goals down at the theatre of dreams but Steven Gerrard’s brace brought the score line to two all. Nonetheless, after scoring Man United’s first
two goals of the match, Dimitar Berbatov, scored the third one as well to complete his hat-trick and also give his side a three goals to two victory over the English giants.
Meanwhile, in their mid-week third round fixture of the Carling Cup, Liverpool faced Northampton but failed to give their vintage cup performance and as a result lost the match on penalties. Northampton eventually knocked out Roy Hodgson’s team from the
Carling Cup. Now, as Liverpool take on Sunderland they would be looking to set their season right, while also looking to make amends to their fans for the loss to league two strugglers, Northampton.
On the other hand, Sunderland have been impressive at their home stadium in the current EPL season but they have been quite bad when it comes to their away games. They have defeated Manchester City at their Stadium of light while also achieved a scored draw
against Arsenal. In their last away game of the 2010-2011 league season, Sunderland managed to get a one all draw against Wigan. In the corresponding fixture last season, Sunderland had lost to Liverpool at Anfield by a comprehensive margin of three goals.
Out of the last eight matches played between the two teams, Sunderland have managed to win just one whereas Liverpool have won seven. It would be interesting to watch if Steve Bruce deploys Danny Wellbeck, Darren Bent and Asamoah Gyan for his three pronged
attack. Such an ambitious line up might set the game up for an interesting encounter but will also allow Liverpool to easily pick off the Sunderland defense on the counter attack. Despite the fact that Liverpool have had a horrible start to their Premier League
campaign, they are still unbeaten at Anfield. This makes them the favorites to get a win in this match.
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