Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris makes just one change to the side that lost to Arsenal, with Chemsdine Talbi making way for Nilson Angulo on the wing. Brian Brobbey leads the line once more, supported by Enzo Le Fee and Trai Hume.

Liverpool XI: Alisson; Endo, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike.

Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Kerkez, Chiesa, Jones, Nyoni, Ramsay, Morrison, Ngumoha.

Sunderland XI: Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Reinildo; Sadiki, Diarra; Angulo, Le Fee, Hume; Brobbey.

Subs: Ellborg, Cirkin, O’Nien, Geertruida, Rigg, Isidor, Mundle, Mayenda, Talbi.

The line-ups will be released in the next five minutes, so here’s a reminder of the early team news tonight…

Sunderland are without Granit Xhaka due to injury as well as January signing Jocelin Ta Bi, who is getting up to match fitness. Bertrand Traore may be available to return from a knee injury. Lutsharel Geertruida was heavily linked with a move to Liverpool in January but remained at Sunderland and could feature against the Reds.

Liverpool’s season MVP Szoboszlai will be absent after the debacle that surrounded his late red card against City, while the club’s injury problems are not likely to improve for the trip to the north east. Joe Gomez is unlikely to make a comeback, while Jeremy Frimpong is set for a few more weeks on the sidelines. Alexander Isak, Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley are out for months.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk insists there is not yet any concern about becoming detached from the top of the table.

With both of their rivals playing on Tuesday the gap could be even greater before Liverpool walk out at Sunderland, who held them to a 1-1 draw at Anfield in early December and are only three points further back in ninth.

Sunderland are unbeaten in all 12 of their Premier League home games this season (W7 D5). It’s the longest run by a promoted side from the start of a top-flight season since 1977/78.

Having won their first two away league games this season, Liverpool have since won just two of their last 10 on the road (D3 L5).

Manchester City’s crucial 2-1 victory over Liverpool ended in bizarre scenes at Anfield as Dominik Szoboszlai was sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity – despite City scoring a goal from that opportunity.

Szoboszlai had earlier scored a stunning free-kick to give Liverpool the lead, before Bernardo Silva poached an equaliser and Erling Haaland converted a late penalty to give City the advantage in added time.

Rayan Cherki thought he had scored a bizarre late, late third to cap a wild game, shooting from the halfway line with Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker well out of his area – only for the goal to be ruled out after a VAR review, which led to Szoboszlai being sent off instead.

Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai will be suspended for just one match after his red card against Manchester City, with the Hungarian avoiding a three-game ban due to a specific rule.

Szoboszlai was shown a straight red card in the final minutes of Liverpool’s dramatic 2-1 loss to City at Anfield on Sunday, with the Hungarian dragging back Erling Haaland when the Norwegian was running through to tap in to an empty net.

And here’s how Sunderland got on at the weekend…

Martin Zubimendi fired Mikel Arteta’s side on their way with a brilliant long-range opener just three minutes before half time at the Emirates Stadium.

Gyokeres doubled the hosts’ advantage six minutes after he was introduced as a substitute on the hour mark. He then added a breakaway third for Arsenal deep into stoppage time.

Here’s the report from a crazy night at Anfield last time out…

A farcical finish, but a fantastic win for Pep Guardiola. He had waited a decade to taste victory at a full Anfield. When he did, with a comeback for the ages, seemingly capped by a goal from the halfway line into an empty net, pernickety officiating injected an element of absurd with a decision that no one wanted or needed.

And yet the overall outcome was the same. As Liverpool led, it felt as though Arsenal were about to be anointed champions. “The whole team knew before the game if we lost it then the title race was probably over,” said Bernardo Silva. Instead, he helped revive it. Erling Haaland, policed well by Virgil van Dijk, enduring a frustrating afternoon, suddenly turned catalyst. A manager who had visited Anfield 10 previous times, winning only in lockdown, got the triumph that had always eluded him. “It is so difficult,” sighed Guardiola. “Anfield is Anfield: the tradition, the history, the crowd.”