Liverpool Ready To Add To Sunderland’s Woes

Liverpool visit Sunderland in the Barclays Premier League with Christian Benteke eager to build momentum after scoring the winner in the 1-0 win over high-flying Leicester City.

Benteke netted the only goal of the game at Anfield on Boxing Day to deal Leicester their first league defeat since September.

The Belgian’s strike was his first in seven matches but he and eighth-placed Liverpool can afford to be confident of finding the net again at the Stadium of Light against a second-bottom Sunderland side that has shipped 37 goals this season.

“I spoke with the manager a few days ago about where I can improve and what he is expecting from me,” Benteke told www.liverpoolfc.com. “We had a good conversation. We had like a ‘man conversation’ and I think it is going to help me and help the team. Of course I am still a young player and I want to learn.

“I think I have to run more and I have to be there for my team-mates. You could see against Leicester that I showed I understand his message and now I have to keep going like that. I have to learn and I have to understand what he wants. He is the right manager for me to help me in my development.”

Benteke’s compatriot Divock Origi is likely to miss out for Liverpool because of a hamstring injury but Jordon Ibe is in line to return from illness. James Milner (calf), Jordan Rossiter, Martin Skrtel and Daniel Sturridge (all hamstring) are all still unavailable.

Sunderland captain John O’Shea is expected to be sidelined for the clash due to a calf problem. Sebastian Larsson (knee) and Younes Kaboul (hamstring) are also out.

Sam Allardyce’s men lost 4-1 at Manchester City on Saturday and the manager wants his players to rediscover their spirit.

“My team didn’t play its best against Manchester City and I expect my team to play its best every game,” he said. “I demand that they do that and there’s no let up from me. I strive for that consistency because that’s what’s going to get us out of trouble.

“Liverpool can be beaten – Newcastle down the road showed us that recently – if you get the gameplan right and you frustrate them. They have some weaknesses you can expose.

“We’re looking very frail in terms of getting the right result, we’ve got to get back to being resilient. We’ve got to be spoilers to try and get ourselves a result.”