Liverpool v Sunderland: Back 9/1 card double at Anfield | OneFootball

Liverpool v Sunderland

Have Reds turned a corner?

When the fixtures came out at the start of the season, this one looked like an automatic three points for Liverpool.

Before last weekend, however, with Arne Slot's men reeling after nine defeats in 12 matches, this looked a golden opportunity to back an impressive Sunderland at a big price.

The big question is whether Liverpool's solid 2-0 victory at West Ham on Sunday marked a turning point because that was the presumption when the Reds beat Aston Villa and Real Madrid - wins they followed by tonkings at the hands of Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and PSV.

The latter two - 3-0 and 4-1 defeats - were both at Anfield so the idea of it being a fortress has, temporarily at least, taken a big knock.

Mo Salah was rested against West Ham so does Slot bring him back to avoid a potential fallout? Or does the Liverpool boss decide he liked what he saw at the London Stadium with Florian Wirtz playing as a No.10 behind a striker and leave Salah out again? Questions, questions...

Sunderland continue to excel

Sunderland maintained their surprise top-six status with a brilliant come-from-behind win against Bournemouth on Saturday.

Trailing 2-0 after 15 minutes, the hosts thrilled the Stadium of Light with a superb fightback to win 3-2, a result which leaves them still a point above Liverpool in the table.

Earlier this season, there was a feeling that maybe they were riding a favourable early fixture list and the bright start would soon evaporate.

A 2-0 loss at Manchester United hinted that Sunderland might still feel a slight lack of belief when taking on the glamour teams but they've quashed that with a deserved 2-1 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and holding leaders Arsenal 2-2 at home.

Can Sunderland keep this going? We'll know more after their next three fixtures - away to Liverpool, away to Manchester City and home to Newcastle.

Will Black Cats punt prove lucky for punters?

Without doubt, the 15/2 being dangled about Sunderland will prove too hard to resist for those who aren't convinced by Liverpool's victory at West Ham.

Liverpool are just 4/11 for the win here while The Draw, something the Reds haven't had this season, is 4/1.

Those Sunderland odds have to be worth a look but it's worth noting that the win at Chelsea isn't very representative of their away form.

Overall, Regis Le Bris' team have won two, drawn one and lost three on the road. But perhaps most striking of all is that they've managed just three away goals. Only Wolves have fewer on their travels.

That leaves a feeling that backing Sunderland is a trap, just as it was with West Ham when they played the Reds.

Goals may be sparse

Sunderland's lack of firepower on the road leads us towards the Both teams to Score 'No' market.

The good thing with this bet is that it has two ways to land. Liverpool have failed to score in two of their last three Premier League games and Sunderland have only shipped six goals on the road so tend to be involved in tight matches when away from home.

Overall, BTTS 'No' has landed in six of Liverpool's last seven games in all competitions and when they do score the opening goal, the Reds in recent times have gone on to win without conceding: 1-0 v Real Madrid, 2-0 v Aston Villa and 2-0 v West Ham.

In all those games, they defended the lead with little fuss.

The other common thread with those above Liverpool wins is that all those games featured Under 2.5 goals and that appeals again here at attractive odds of 11/8.

Sunderland's six away games have featured just nine goals so if you want to see the net bulging they're not the team to go and see when they play away from the Stadium of Light.

Xhaka and Macca to see yellow

Sunderland skipper Granit Xhaka will have to put in a shift at Anfield and, as a result, he's one to look at in the card markets.

The veteran midfielder has picked up three yellows in his last nine Premier League matches and all were against the bigger teams: Villa, Manchester United and Arsenal. Perhaps there's something in that.

He was once sent off in a League Cup tie against Liverpool while in 12 Premier League meetings with the Reds he's been booked in half of them.

Xhaka is on four yellows this season so can afford another one without being banned. You sense he'd take it, if required, at Anfield.

If you want a double, combine him with Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister, who can get outmuscled against more physical opponents.

The Argentine picked up 11 cautions last season and has had yellow flashed at him in three of his last six outings.

Stuart Atwell takes charge and he's issued more bookings (45 in nine matches) than any other Premier League ref this season.