English Premier
2012-03-10 - Sunderland vs Liverpool
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Saturday 10 March 2012 - Kick Off 3pm
Sunderland
It was a feisty Tyne-Wear Derby last week that has cost Sunderland a couple of their key players for this game, but the side have really been performing well under the tutelage of Martin O'Neill. They have an FA Cup Quarter Final to look forward to, while a top half finish in the Premier League is very much something they can achieve.
Sunderland are 12th in the Premier League following the point gained at Newcastle United last week, but a win here could push them as high as 8th in the table depending on how other results go. The Black Cats have a 5-4-4 record at the Stadium of Light this season, scoring 20 goals and conceding just 13.
The team have now failed to win any of their last 3 games in the Premier League, but they did stop a run of consecutive defeats with that draw at St James' Park. Sunderland have only lost 4 of their 17 games in all competitions under O'Neill, while only 1 of those came in 8 games at the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats have won 5 of their 7 home games under O'Neill.
Wes Brown and Titus Bramble remain sidelined, while Lee Cattermole and Stephane Sessegnon are suspended following red cards last week. Kieran Richardson has a late fitness test to pass before he will be in the starting line up.
Liverpool
Kenny Dalglish must surely have realised that he needs another striker at the club after seeing his Liverpool side dominate the game against Arsenal last week but fail to take their chances and fall to a defeat. That wasn't the first time that Liverpool have created a number of chances that they have failed to take at Anfield and it looks set to cost them a Champions League place this season.
Liverpool are 7th in the Premier League table and are now 10 points behind Arsenal in the final Champions League position, although they do have a game in hand to play. The Reds do have a better record away from Anfield in terms of wins, going 6-1-6 so far this season, scoring 15 goals and conceding 15.
The loss to Arsenal means Liverpool have picked up just 1 point from their last 3 League games, all against sides currently in the top 4 of the Premier League. The team continue to have success in the Cups as they have won the Carling Cup, albeit on a penalty shoot-out, and progressed through to the FA Cup Quarter Final in that time. Liverpool have won just 1 of their last 5 away games in the League, losing 3 of those.
Dan Agger is ruled out for this game, while Steven Gerrard may not be risked with the Merseyside Derby in mind on Tuesday night. Glen Johnson has had a hamstring complaint, but is set to be passed fit for this game.
Head to Head
Liverpool and Sunderland drew 1-1 early in the season here, a game that set the tone for Liverpool home games all season in the League.
Liverpool have won 4 of their last 5 games at the Stadium of Light, including a 0-2 win here last season.
Prediction
This is a tough test for Liverpool, but they can at least point to the fact that they have had more wins away from home than at Anfield this season, although I can't put my finger on why that is.
The team continues to create lots of chances, arguably more at home than they do away from Anfield, so I can't give a good reason as to why they have won more away from home this season.
Sunderland have really improved under Martin O'Neill, but they have been struggling with injuries all season, while the loss of Cattermole and Sessegnon weakens them a little more.
The Black Cats do not have the best of records against Liverpool at home over the last few seasons, but I think they are playing well enough to earn a result here. They showed plenty of guts in earning a draw at Newcastle last week despite playing with ten men in the second half, and they have pushed Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal in recent games.
While Liverpool will see this game as more important than Sunderland in terms of what they want to achieve in the League, I just have a lot of respect for the way the team have been playing under O'Neill and I have a feeling they are going to earn a positive result through another gutsy and determined performance.
I have a feeling they won't quite be good enough to earn the win, so I will back the draw in this game.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Sunderland 1-1 Liverpool
