Januzaj and Can battle for the ball at the Stadium of Light (Getty)

Liverpool can close the gap on league leaders Chelsea with victory over struggling Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Jurgen Klopp’s side appear to be the main challengers to Antonio Conte’s west London juggernaut and can go to within six points of the pacesetters on Monday.

Sunderland were woeful in their 4-1 defeat to Burnley on Saturday and increasingly seem doomed to life in the Championship next season.

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It’s a big game for…

Simon Mignolet: The Liverpool shot-stopper has been the subject of some criticism this season and will hope to silence his critics when he returns to the Stadium of Light.

Despite letting that Jon Walters header beat him at his near post against Stoke, the Belgian kept a clean sheet in the big match against Manchester City on New Year’s Eve.

Best stat…

9: Liverpool are unbeaten against Sunderland in nine games with the last time the Black Cats coming out on top being a 1-0 win in 2012.

Remember when…



Darren Bent scored the winner in a 1-0 win against Liverpool after getting a big hand by a very unusual object – a beachball.

The ball was thrown on to the pitch by a fan and diverted Bent’s shot past the helpless Pepe Reina in the Liverpool goal.

Prediction

Player to watch…

Adam Lallana: The attacking-midfielder looks invigorated this season, after taking him some while to settle on Merseyside.

Lallana is Liverpool’s second top goalscorer in the league this season, bagging seven goals but he’s also managed to rack up seven assists too, making him a pivotal member of this Liverpool side. Sunderland will have to prioritise keeping him quite to try to quell the visitors’ attacks.

Past three meetings…

Liverpool 2 (Origi, Milner) Sunderland 0

Premier League, November 2016

Liverpool 2 (Firmino, Lallana) Sunderland 2 (Johnson, Defoe)

Premier League, February 2016

Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1 (Benteke)

Premier League, December 2015

Form guide…

Sunderland: WLLWLL

Liverpool: LDWWWW

Vital information…

Kick-off time: 15:00

TV: Highlights on Match of the Day, BBC One, Monday 2 January 10.30pm

Odds…

Sunderland to win: 9/1

Liverpool to win: 7/20

Draw: 9/2