Premier League
Wednesday 3rd January 2013
Anfield
Liverpool VS Sunderland
We come into the new year still cautiously optimistic but all the same worried about the consistency - or should that be lack thereof - in terms of league performance. The good wins over Fulham and QPR were mixed in with abominable performances and results against both Aston Villa and Stoke. What we need to do now is buck the trend and put another good on the board. Let's start 2013 in the right way and not be playing catch up from the beginning, shall we?
Over the years, Sunderland have amassed a seeming litany of managers whom aren't exactly at the top of my Christmas card list. Roy Keane, Steve Bruce and Martin O'Neill. Just the thought of them is enough to send a cold shiver down my spine. Surprisingly, most of my rage is saved for the incumbent Sunderland manager for at least the other two aren't regarded as footballing geniuses when their record suggests otherwise. Having watched Sunderland's struggles this year I can't help but raise a smile. O'Neill is a decent motivator and credible tactician certainly, but the style he employs (without the same criticism levelled at Stoke or an Allardyce side) I can't help but enjoy them.
After enduring a terrible run of form earlier on in the season, Sunderland appeared to have woken up with back to back victories including one over current champions Manchester City. Spurs then went to the Stadium of Light and beat them on Saturday so they'll be looking to bounce back. Their record at Anfield isn't too bad in recent seasons either with each of their last two visits ending in frustrating draws. Coming to Anfield and escaping with a point last year on the opening day was the beginning of what would be a season littered with home disappointments. I'm looking to see us underline our commitment to reclaiming Anfield by making sure that doesn't happen again.
Our luck with injuries (or specifically Jose Enrique's) continues to disrupt the flow of the team. Moving Stewart Downing to left back could disrupt the decent run of form he has found himself in and so it could mean a return to the side for Andre Wisdom. That would in turn mean a potential unsettling of Glen Johnson and moving him over to the left hand side so as ever the question of balance remains ever pertinent. Other than that the team more or less picks itself, with the exception of whether Rodgers will go for Allen or Henderson as I imagine Lucas will come back into the team following his rest against QPR on Sunday.
This appears to be one of those times during a season which we've failed to capitalize on so many times. The fixture itself isn't exactly the most difficult - in spite of the threat presented by Stephen Fletcher - and we're coming into it on the back of a resounding victory. Confidence and common sense would suggest that there is only one winner tonight but I'm all too aware of our power to stumble when there appears to be nothing which would make us fall over. Including this game there are two others to be played at Anfield in January and the other fixtures loom large (away at Manchesters United and City as well as Arsenal) as such we cannot afford to show any mercy.
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