Liverpool vs Sunderland - prediction, team news, lineups

Liverpool volition statesman a caller epoch nether Andoni Iraola connected Saturday, erstwhile they instrumentality connected Sunderland successful a pre-season affable astatine GEODIS Park, arsenic portion of the Premier League Summer Series.

The Reds volition beryllium hoping for a triumph to people the occasion, portion the Black Cats are looking to physique connected their triumph past clip out. 

Match preview

Liverpool struggled passim 2025-26 with Arne Slot astatine the helm, failing to support their Premier League crown and ending the word trophyless.

To marque matters worse, the Reds acceptable a club-record for astir losses successful a azygous play this century, suffering 20 defeats arsenic they limped to a fifth-place decorativeness - a shocking result that led to Slot's dismissal astatine the adjacent of the campaign.

Former Bournemouth brag Iraola was tapped arsenic his replacement, and fans volition beryllium keen to spot his intense, carnal playstyle successful enactment for the archetypal clip aft comparisons were drawn betwixt that of the 44-year-old and Anfield icon Jurgen Klopp.

However, supporters volition person to hold to witnesser the afloat imaginable of Iraola's system, fixed that a fig of first-team stars specified arsenic Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister person not joined Liverpool connected their pre-season circuit owed to either the request to remainder oregon information successful the World Cup.

Last season, the Reds were held to a 1-1 stalemate by Sunderland astatine Anfield successful December, a crippled that required an ain extremity from Nordi Mukiele for Slot's broadside to adjacent locomotion distant with a point.

However, Liverpool bounced backmost successful the instrumentality fixture, and became the archetypal squad to bushed the Black Cats astatine the Stadium of Light successful the Premier League with a 1-0 triumph successful February, courtesy of a second-half effort from Van Dijk.

Meanwhile, Regis Le Bris's Sunderland enjoyed an unthinkable play backmost successful the apical formation aft 8 years away, and are presently preparing to guarantee it was not a one-off.

The Black Cats earned promotion to the Premier League by winning the Championship playoff last successful 2024-25, and instantly acceptable astir gathering a squad susceptible of competing erstwhile they had made the measurement up.

Former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka was the cardinal accomplishment past summer, taking up the captaincy and guiding Le Bris's broadside to a singular seventh-place decorativeness aft making the power from Bayer Leverkusen.

That was capable to bring Europa League shot to the Stadium of Light for 2026-27, and adjacent play volition people the archetypal clip Sunderland person competed connected the continental signifier since the 1973-74 European Cup Winners' Cup - arsenic good arsenic conscionable the 2nd clip successful their history.

As the nine looks up to the upcoming season, the Black Cats are embarking connected a circuit of the United States that volition besides spot them look Wrexham and Leeds United this summer, pursuing connected from their 5-1 demolition of York City connected July 18.

Le Bris's men volition aboriginal play Lens and Rennes successful August, but it would beryllium just to accidental that Saturday's showdown against Liverpool - whom they person not beaten successful 12 head-to-head clashes - is their astir high-profile friendly.

Liverpool form:

Sunderland friendlies form:

Team News

Liverpool volition not person their afloat radical of first-team players successful the US this summer, with Alexis Mac Allister and summer-signing Victor Munoz absent aft featuring successful the World Cup final.

Likewise, Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker and Cody Gakpo volition beryllium moving separately astatine the Reds' grooming ground, portion Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Ryan Gravenberch are acceptable to articulation Iraola's contingent adjacent week, skipping this game.

Elsewhere, Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Wataru Endo (ankle), Conor Bradley (knee) and Giovanni Leoni (knee) person each travelled with the squad but stay unavailable arsenic they retrieve from semipermanent injuries.

In their absence, Giorgi Mamardashvili could commencement successful goal, shielded by a centre-back pairing of nine seasoned Joe Gomez and caller arrival Jeremy Jacquet.

Rio Ngumoha should commencement arsenic portion of Liverpool's guardant line, and whitethorn beryllium joined by Harvey Elliott and Dominik Szoboszlai down 18-year-old striker Will Wright.

As for Sunderland, they volition beryllium without Granit Xhaka, Chemsdine Talbi, Omar Alderete, and Thomas Meunier owed to their progression to the second stages of World Cup 2026.

In a akin vein, Brian Brobbey, Nilson Angulo, Habib Diarra, Robin Roefs, Simon Adingra, Arthur Masuaku, and Noah Sadiki volition articulation the squad successful the US connected July 26, missing Saturday's friendly.

Unfortunately, 21-year-old winger Jocelin Ta Bi was denied a VISA to participate the country, though Sunderland person appealed the determination and are hoping to spot him nexus up with their contingent successful the adjacent fewer days.

Liverpool imaginable starting lineup:

Mamardashvili; Ramsay, Gomez, Jacquet, Kerkez; Nyoni, Jones; Szoboszlai, Elliott, Ngumoha; Wright

Sunderland imaginable starting lineup:

Ellborg; Mukiele, O'Nien, Hume, Reinildo; Browne, Rigg; Scott, Le Fee, Tutierov; Ogunsuyi

We say: Liverpool 2-1 Sunderland

Liverpool are not astatine afloat spot and are inactive getting to grips with the demands of a caller manager, truthful portion they whitethorn win, bash not expect a thrashing connected Saturday.

Sunderland are besides missing a fig of cardinal stars, including skipper Xhaka, though they are much than susceptible of posing a menace to the Reds this weekend.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.