Score Predictions: Dare we dream of a win at Anfield?

Martin Wanless predicts…

Score prediction: Liverpool 1 Sunderland 1

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Le Fee

This is a really interesting game and one from which any point will be a bonus.

If we play at our best, we’ll be able to get something; so fingers crossed we are!

‘The Champion’ Malc Dugdale predicts…

Score prediction: Liverpool 1 Sunderland 1

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Xhaka

After getting all three points in the most amazing way at home last weekend, we can arguably afford to be a bit more conservative against Liverpool and Man City.

I think the gaffer will set us up to not lose, maybe chancing that we could nick a win on the counter with the pace of Wilson and his mates maybe, as Regis has against other fellow European spot contenders.

Granit hasn’t scored a worldy of a left foot yet, and what better place to do that than away at Anfield?

I would be happy if we can take a point here, try to get something off City, then batter the Mags.

8 points from 4 games including Bournemouth, 2 PPG. Sorted.

Jack Howe-Gingell predicts…

Score prediction: Liverpool 1 Sunderland 2

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Le Fee

It doesn’t get much better than coming back from two goals down and it is a phenomenon that I have never witnessed first hand. The heart and desire of this team never ceases to amaze and you can’t help falling in love with them.

This is a massive fixture – going to Anfield under the lights in what I would ordinarily call a free hit sort of game, but standards have changed from our end and fortunes have dipped at theirs.

Liverpool have been on a miserable run with bags of defeats against sides they shouldn’t be losing to, with a win over a poor West Ham recently that shouldn’t paper over the cracks.

We may never get a better opportunity to demolish one of England’s best ever teams at their own ground, and I would be ecstatic if we could do it. We showed Chelsea and Arsenal how much we can mix it, and I expect us to give Liverpool the same treatment.

The lads will give it everything, and will be up for the fight. I think the continued calm and controlling influence of on-field manager Granit Xhaka will be the difference, with Le Fée picking up his second goal in as many games.

Our return to the Premier League is littered with these sorts of fixtures, that I’m sure everyone has been looking forward to, but did anyone fathom that we would be a point ahead of our opponents, with a better goal difference, in the race for European places?

Let’s get carried away, man.

Will Jones predicts…

Score prediction: Liverpool 1 Sunderland 2

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Ballard

Anfield under the lights, and we’re going there above Liverpool in the table. Let that sink in. A month ago they were slapping Real Madrid about, now they’re losing at home to teams they shouldn’t be. It’s either the perfect time to play them, or the worst, because you just know they’ll be desperate to put it right.

We’ve shown against Chelsea and Arsenal that we can mix it with the best, so there’s no reason to be scared. Their defence is shaky, and if we get at them early, we could turn the crowd. But on their day, they can still open anyone up, and I’m bracing myself for a proper end-to-end game.

Ballard knows where the goal is, and he is gonna bag the opener tonight. After that, it’s about grit, organisation, and hoping we don’t get sucker-punched late on.

Whatever happens, it’s surreal to even be talking about us going to Anfield with a chance. This is what we came back to the Premier League for…nights like this.

Matty Foster predicts…

Score prediction: Liverpool 2 Sunderland 1

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Le Fee

We rock up to Anfield tonight full of confidence after Saturday’s turnaround, and rightly so!

We face a Liverpool side whose title-defence so far, has hit every bump in the road.

Their form is atrocious, with only two wins in their last eight league games.

There’s no doubt these can be had at, and if we start well, we could turn the crowd.

I say all of this, but I think they might have too much for us in the end.

But I’ve no doubt we’ll see the grit we’ve seen all season, and give a really good account of ourselves.

Anthony Gair predicts…

Score prediction: Liverpool 0 Sunderland 1

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Brobbey

Liverpool will come out of the blocks flying after their recent half decent result.

Thing is, our boys are flying and I’d imagine confidence is brimming within the group.

Ballard thrives on this kind of game, and he’ll come out of this looking like the Van Dijk Liverpool want to see.

He’ll win everything in the box. Le Fee will outwit all of their big stars and Xhaka will keep them grounded.

Brobbey will start, and he’ll score after about 55 minutes.

I cannot wait for this one!

Gary Winter predicts…

Score prediction: Liverpool 3 Sunderland 2

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Alderete

I feel like I can make a case for a win or a loss in this one.

Liverpool were heavily beaten on their last two outings at home. It feels like either a great time to play them, or alternatively you don’t really want to be the next team to visit Anfield and face the wrath.

Only a month ago they beat Real Madrid and what’s happened since is unthinkable, but their season so far has been poor overall.

It’s tough for me to get my head around us being above them in the league and winning at Anfield.

I think we can exploit their defensive frailties but on their day they can open us up with ease. I’m bracing myself for an entertaining game for sure, but I think we may come out on the wrong side of it.

Brett Lyons-Davis predicts…

Score prediction: Liverpool 1 Sunderland 2

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Xhaka

Was thinking that with Liverpool getting back to winning ways with a win over West Ham, that this one suddenly becomes a bit more difficult.

Then I remembered us beating Chelsea and drawing with Arsenal, the top two teams in the country, and also West Ham are rubbish – who loses to West Ham anyway?

So this will be another famous win to go on the end of season showreel.

Last Time Out…

The lads were amazing at the weekend, coming back from letting in 2 opportunistic goals and getting a win in another downpour, this time on Wearside.

It has been said many a time but it is becoming increasingly clear that this team cannot spell defeat never mind be involved in it, especially at home. A great penna from Le Fee was well built upon by Traore netting his first, and then Brobbey the finisher did it again with a very strong header under pressure from a very physical defender.

To cap it all, young Mundle returned to the fold and showed some of what we have been missing with his pace and guile down that left.

A game I will remember for some time… but then we keep doing this, so I may have to start writing these things down soon!

Last Game Predictions…

After Fulham a few of the lads were a little hesitant to call a win against another team up there with us, but they lost out in terms of Predictions points by doing so.

Best of the crop was Will who got 2 points for a win and a Le Fee opener. A few of the lads got a single point for foreseeing the victory, which many would have written off about 20 minutes into the game on Saturday.

Nothing for Gary or Matty who expected a draw, but will no doubt be chuffed they were wrong.

Predictions Table And Standings

Will climbs to joint 4th with his 2 points, and the rest of the top half stay about the same.

Gary is looking over his shoulder a bit like West Ham and Forest, with Gair and Martin both picking up a point while Gary failed to score at all.

How the points are awarded

Just a quick reminder of how we allocate points to our match-by-match predictions:

• Correct score = Three points

• Correct outcome (but not correct score) = One point

• Correct first Sunderland goalscorer = One point (no goalscorer is a valid call)

• Possible deductions for being lazy and not submitting on time = a two-point deduction.