Trips To Liverpool And Manchester City Will Test Sunderland’s Mettle!

When Sunderland’s 2025/2026 fixtures were released, the notion of facing trips to last season’s runaway Premier League champions and their four-time champion predecessors within the space of three days might’ve felt somewhat unlikely.

However, the fixture computer — a device that may or may not be running Windows 2000 — doesn’t seem to care for the idea of an “easy ride” and after seeing off Bournemouth in a crazy, rain-soaked affair on Saturday, the Lads must now steel themselves for arguably the toughest domestic assignment of a league season. The timing may be eye-catching but as they always say, “You’ve got to play everyone twice”, so let’s get down to business.

Rallying as we did to see off the Cherries might’ve forced Sunderland to dig more deeply than they perhaps would’ve wanted, but such results also breed belief and it’ll be a squad buoyed by a sterling effort that makes the trip to Merseyside tomorrow evening and then along the East Lancashire Road next Saturday.

Two games against world class opponents — don’t be fooled by Liverpool’s current slump, because they can and more than likely will find their groove once again — and an opportunity for Régis Le Bris to pit his wits against two of the top flight’s most highly-acclaimed bosses. From the moment Tommy Watson’s winner hit the net against Sheffield United at Wembley, Le Bris would’ve known what was coming and at the risk of sounding presumptuous, I like to think he’s been excited by these challenges ever since.

Daunting?

Perhaps, but as Roker Report’s Paddy Hollis wrote over the weekend, this is exactly where we want to be; where we should always strive to be, and the hope of being involved in these kinds of occasions surely kept the flame burning during those long years in lower-league exile.

Let’s face it: Sunderland have hardly looked like unwanted guests at the Premier League party this season — we looked like we belonged from almost the very first minute against West Ham, and so Arne Slot and Pep Guardiola will be fully aware of the challenges we can pose for their teams.

First up, Liverpool.

All-conquering and runaway Premier League champions last season, 2025/2026 has represented a startling drop off for the Anfield outfit, with their title defence falling apart at alarming speed, their Champions League campaign hardly catching fire and most of their summer signings bar Hugo Ekitike not making anywhere near the kind of impact that many might’ve expected.

Given the toll the games could take on his squad, could Le Bris change things up, and after his latest contribution, does Brian Brobbey have a strong case to start and to possibly cause the Reds’ defence issues with his physicality and aggression?

They’ve looked somewhat shaky at the back for some time and a fired-up Brobbey certainly has the attributes to give the likes of Virgil Van Dijk something to think about — again, by no means a troublesome issue for Le Bris to have to grapple with.

Looking ahead to the weekend, I’m intrigued to see how Sunderland’s defence goes about the business of attempting to keep Erling Haaland quiet.

The Norwegian marksman may be “part man, part machine, all goalscorer” but he drew a blank against Leeds United and I have a suspicion that the likes of Omar Alderete in particular will be relishing the opportunity to take him on.

With deadly players all over the park including the electrifying Jeremy Doku, City are lethal at home and the scale of the challenge shouldn’t be lost on anyone, but I’ve seen no traces of an inferiority complex from Sunderland at home or away this season, and the same mindset should be carried into this one. Granit Xhaka has played in these kinds of games for years — he’ll know what needs to be done and the message will doubtless be received loudly and clearly by his teammates.

Given that we went to Stamford Bridge and fell behind before mounting a stirring fightback and eventually claiming all three points against Chelsea, Sunderland’s blueprint against the league’s elite sides has already been established: no fear; no backward steps and full commitment to the task at hand from the first whistle to the last.

Combine that approach with the footballing ability we possess and who’s to say we can’t pick up a point or two and continue to set ourselves up for the pre-Christmas derby in positive fashion? This week, all roads lead to Lancashire. Let’s go for it.