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Liverpool stopped the rot with a win over West Ham last time out but face a sterner test tonight
Will CastleWednesday 03 December 2025 18:30 GMTComments
Close'He is a top professional' - Slot praises Salah's reaction to being dropped for West Ham
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Liverpool appeared more like their old selves as they beat West Ham 2-0 last weekend, but face a sterner test against Premier League high-flyers Sunderland tonight at a ground that has proven unexpectedly tricky for the Reds in recent weeks – Anfield.
Back-to-back home defeats to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League and PSV in the Champions League meant Liverpool endured a torrid week before heading to London Stadium, with pressure piling on manager Arne Slot.
But after the Dutchman made the big decision to drop Mohamed Salah against West Ham, £125m summer signing Alexander Isak scored his first top-flight goal for the club and they avoided a 10th defeat in 13 games.
But Regis Le Bris’ side will be more than up for a fight today; the Black Cats roared back to beat Bournemouth 3-2 last weekend and are sixth in the table, having swatted aside talk of relegation and made a push for Europe.
Follow all the action live from Anfield here:
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Liverpool v Sunderland Live
- Liverpool host Sunderland at Anfield | Kick off at 8.15pm, live on Sky Sports
- Arne Slot faces dilemma over whether to restore Mohamed Salah to starting XI
- Sunderland are sixth in the table, one point above eighth-place Reds
How Arne Slot fits Mohamed Salah into his long-term Liverpool plans
After one of the more demoralising weeks of his eight years at Anfield, the good news for Mohamed Salah is that Arne Slot has not found his successor. The man who displaced Salah from his usual berth on Liverpool’s right flank at West Ham was a short-term solution, not the face of a new formula.
That may be what Dominik Szoboszlai wanted to hear, too, after he was pressed into service in his fourth different role of the season on Sunday. Salah, Slot admitted, was unhappy at being omitted. But a return to the team now would only be temporary, with the Africa Cup of Nations starting soon.
If Szoboszlai could be a Salah stand-in – for different reasons – then, Slot said: “I don’t see Dominik as a right-winger for the long-term future in this club. Dominik is a midfielder who could help us out as a full-back or as a winger if needed. I don’t expect to be in February and March and every single game Dominik is playing there.
Our man on the ground Richard Jolly delves into Mohamed Salah’s future at Liverpool:
How Arne Slot fits Mohamed Salah into his long-term Liverpool plans
Slot made the decision to bench Salah in the Premier League for the first time since April 2024 for Sunday’s win at West HamRichard Jolly3 December 2025 18:30Potential starting line-ups
Liverpool XI: Alisson; Jones, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike.
Sunderland XI: Roefs; Hume, Mukiele, Ballard, Geertruida, Reinildo; Traore, Xhaka, Sadiki, Le Fee; Brobbey.
Flo Clifford3 December 2025 18:20Team news
Slot notably dropped Mohamed Salah for the win over West Ham and all eyes will be on whether the Egyptian is restored to the line-up, potentially to rest Dominik Szoboszlai.
The Reds manager also asserted that the trio of Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Joe Gomez are not fit enough to play three 90 minutes in a week, which could bring rotataion.
Sunderland are still without Dennis Cirkin, Leo Hjelde, Aji Alese and Habib Diarra through injuries, but there are no new issues for Le Bris to contend with. Brian Brobbey scored off the bench on Saturday so could be due a start.
Flo Clifford3 December 2025 18:10How can I watch it?
Viewers in the UK can watch the game on Sky Sports Football or stream it on Sky Go, with coverage starting at 6:30pm GMT.
If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.
Flo Clifford3 December 2025 18:00When is Liverpool vs Sunderland?
Liverpool’s clash with Sunderland kicks off at 8:15pm GMT on Wednesday 3 December at Anfield.
Flo Clifford3 December 2025 17:55Liverpool v Sunderland
Arne Slot will hope to build up a head of steam with Liverpool back in winning ways as they take on high-flying Sunderland in the Premier League.
The Dutchman avoided what could have been a doomsday scenario as he prevented a 10th loss in 13 games by beating West Ham on Sunday.
However, Liverpool are now tasked with much tougher opposition in the form of the league’s surprise package, with the Black Cats having gone from relegation favourites to European contenders this season.
Regis Le Bris’ side are currently sixth in the table - a point ahead of Liverpool - and come to Anfield off the back of a stunning 3-2 comeback win over Bournemouth on the weekend.
Flo Clifford3 December 2025 17:50Good evening
Hello and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Liverpool v Sunderland.
The Reds enjoyed a confidence-boosting win over West Ham last time out but Sunderland will still fancy their chances against the reigning champions...
Flo Clifford3 December 2025 17:45More about
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