Liverpool team news v Sunderland: Just one change from Arne Slot as big Mo Salah call made | OneFootball

The first midweek Premier League round of the season sees Liverpool welcome Sunderland to Anfield for the teams’ first meeting in almost nine years.

The Black Cats have been to League One and back since holding the Reds to a 2-2 draw at the start of 2017, and not a single player from that match is still with either of the two clubs.

Regis Le Bris’ side are two places and one point above the reigning champions at the outset of the night, with Arne Slot’s outfit needing to build upon the cathartic win over West Ham at the weekend after a largely dismal November.

Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong both appear to be nearing a comeback from their respective injuries, although this fixture comes slightly too soon for the Liverpool right-back pair.

Who, then, has made it into the starting line-up tonight?

(Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Liverpool starting XI to face Sunderland

Slot makes just one change from the side which began the 2-0 victory over West Ham on Sunday.

Alisson Becker continues in goal, with Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate ahead of him. Joe Gomez keeps his place at right-back, but there’s a change on the other flank as Andy Robertson comes in for Milos Kerkez.

The midfield axis of Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister is retained, while Florian Wirtz unsurprisingly starts in the number 10 role once more.

Slot has stuck with the same attack which won at the London Stadium, so Dominik Szoboszlai is again preferred to Mo Salah on the right and Alexander Isak gets the nod over Hugo Ekitike after netting his first Premier League goal for Liverpool three days ago.

There’s plenty of firepower to summon from the bench if needed, along with a blend of youth (Trey Nyoni, Rio Ngumoha) and experience (Wataru Endo).

You can view the Liverpool starting XI and substitutes below, via @LFC on X: