Sunderland vs Liverpool preview- Premiership

Posted on | August 15, 2008 | No Comments

Sunderland host Liverpool at the Stadium of Light on Saturday in the Premiership as the Black Cats kick off their 2008/09 campaign.

As expected, Sunderland struggled last season, but boss Roy Keane has made some interesting summer signings. The trio Pascal Chimbonda, Teemu Tainio and Steed Malbranque have been brought from Tottenham Hotspur, the club Sunderland beat in their Premiership opener last season. Senegal international El Hadji Diouf has also been signed, and is likely to make a start against the club that brought him to England after the 2002 World Cup. The defence still needs a bit of shoring up- it happens to be one that can be cruelly exposed against good attacking play. Paul McShane and Dwight Yorke miss out due to injury, but it will be Kenwyne Jones’ absence that will hurt the most. Daryl Murphy could start as the sole striker, with Reid/ Richardson and Diouf giving him support.

Keane vs Keane on Saturday ?

Liverpool were surprisingly lacklustre against Standard in their midweek Champions League qualifier, and Rafa Benitez will hope that the performance against the Belgian side, where the Reds were decidedly second best, was a one off one. Steven Gerrard is fit, and that is a big boost. Lucas Leiva, Javier Mascherano and Ryan Babel are all on Olympic duty. With Xabi Alonso having sustained a dead leg in Belgium, Benitez may be forced to give Plessis a start. The 4-4-2 against Standard didn’t quite work, so we may see Keane being employed as a winger rather than a centre forward. Yossi Benayoun is a doubt too, and the same goes for Martin Skrtel. However Liverpool do have an assured central pairing in Agger and Carragher.

Sunderland have home advantage. Liverpool would ordinarily be tipped to win this one, but I think Roy Keane’s men can come out of this game with something. A draw is what I think could happen- either a goalless 0-0 or a goal apiece for either side, with Torres and Murphy scoring.

Related posts:

1. Premiership Sunderland v Liverpool
2. Liverpool vs Sunderland preview
3. Premiership Sunderland v Tottenham
4. Sunderland vs Liverpool preview
5. Premiership Wigan v Sunderland

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