The Stadium of Light hosts a high-stakes midweek encounter as Sunderland welcome Liverpool on Wednesday night.
Régis Le Bris’s men have turned their home ground into a genuine fortress. The Black Cats are unbeaten in all 12 home league matches this season. This feat remains unmatched by a newly promoted side since Nottingham Forest’s legendary 1977–78 campaign.
Conversely, Liverpool arrive in Merseyside looking to arrest a dangerous domestic slide. The Reds recently surrendered a lead to lose 2–1 against Manchester City. This defeat pushed Arne Slot’s side down to sixth place. A victory at the Stadium of Light is now essential to keep their Champions League hopes alive.
Sunderland vs Liverpool – Match preview and team news
- Date: Wednesday, 11 February 2026
- Kick-off: 20:15 GMT
- Venue: Stadium of Light, Sunderland
- Referee: Chris Kavanagh
- VAR: Darren England
- Last Meeting: Liverpool 1–1 Sunderland (3 Dec 2025), Premier League
Team News
Sunderland
The hosts remain without influential captain Granit Xhaka due to a persistent ankle injury. Jocelin Ta Bi is also ruled out as the club manages his fitness carefully. However, Bertrand Traoré could return to the bench after a knee problem. Manager Régis Le Bris expects Noah Sadiki to be fit despite muscle discomfort against Arsenal.
Liverpool
Arne Slot faces a major selection crisis at right-back. Dominik Szoboszlai is suspended following his late red card against Manchester City. Furthermore, Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley, and Joe Gomez are all sidelined with injuries. Consequently, midfielder Curtis Jones may be forced to fill in as a makeshift defender. Record signing Alexander Isak also remains unavailable with a broken leg.
Form
Sunderland
The Black Cats have proved clinical on Wearside, scoring in 92% of their home fixtures. Notably, Sunderland have won three of their last five home matches against defending champions. They currently sit ninth in the table after a dream return to the top flight. However, the team looks to bounce back from a heavy 3–0 defeat at the Emirates last weekend.
Liverpool
The Reds have struggled significantly away from Anfield this season. Notably, Liverpool have won just two of their last ten away league matches. They have conceded 21 goals on the road, a record bettered only by bottom-side Wolves. Despite these defensive woes, Hugo Ekitiké remains a bright spark. The striker leads the club with ten league goals this term.
Predicted Lineups
Sunderland Predicted XI: Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Mandava; Diarra, Sadiki; Hume, Angulo, Talbi; Brobbey
Liverpool Predicted XI: Alisson; Jones, van Dijk, Konate, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike
How to Watch Sunderland vs Liverpool?
The match will be broadcast live in the UK on TNT Sports 1. Subscribers can also stream the action via the discovery+ app.
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See Also- Carragher predicts Liverpool will miss out on UCL football
