NB Posting of Sixer’s Sevens and Martin’s Musings may be delayed this weekend … come here with reflections on the match
It is time for another test of your predictive powers.
Sunderland versus Liverpool is historically a tricky one to call. A Liverpool side on form will always be a handful for us and it is probably not much use relying on their rotten start to the season.
Indeed, it will make Brendan Rodgers and his team, which includes some formidable talent, as determined as us to record a first Premier win.
For the record, and I am indebted to the lfconline site for this, Sunderland have won 33 of the 79 SAFC-LFC fixtures, one more than Liverpool.
There have been 14 draws and the goals aggregate puts SAFC four ahead on 124.
Controversies? In relatively recent times, from Monsieur Salut’s memory rather than the Liverpool site, there was the beach ball game in 2010 (Darren Bent’s bizarrely deflected winning goal – cue for Paul Dobson to assert again that the deflection was off Glenn Johnson, not the beach ball – allowed to stand). And, of course, the spectacular Gary McAllister dive in 2001 that fooled Graham Barber into thinking he was fouled inside the box as opposed to the far side of the Wearmouth bridge; McAllister somehow kept a straight face as he scored the penalty to win Liverpool a point.
Back to this season. Most of you know the drill. Post a comment below giving the correct score. If you are the first to get it right, I will award one of our incomparable (“thanks heavens for that,” someone cried) Martin O’Neill mugs, suitably modified if a Liverpool fans is the winner. If your comment containing a prediction is held for moderation, the time you tried to post it will be respected.
You see the mug below. If you like it but always get score forecasts wrong, there is an alternative route to owning one …
Join the Salut! Sunderland Facebook group – click anywhere along this line
Click here to read Colin Randall at ESPN Soccernet’s Sunderland pages
And follow us on Twitter: @salutsunderland … click along this line
Click here for the Martin O’Neill ‘Team of all Talents’ mug: £9.50, post-free for UK buyers, from the Salut! Sunderland Shop
While on the subject of mugs, I have good news for two readers of Salut! Sunderland: after delays caused by pressure of other commitments, I have placed orders for mugs for Steve Tweddle, a recent winner, and Phil Johnson, to whom I long ago promised a second mug after the first was mistakenly sent with the sort of modification mentioned above (ie customised to suit a Bolton fan who’d won that week’s Guess the Score).
All that remains is to yell “Ha’way the Lads” for Saturday. M Salut is perfectly happy to see a recovery in Liverpool’s fortunes but prays that it starts some time after Saturday.
* See also: the Liverpool “Who are You?”: https://safc.blog/2012/09/safc-v-liverpool-who-are-you-on-suarez-and-kenny-jordan-and-adam/
** Jeremy Robson on the Hillsborough report: https://safc.blog/2012/09/the-robson-report-hillsborough-guilt-and-shame-a-glimmer-of-human-compassion/
*** Mick Goulding: the anger of a man who was there: https://safc.blog/2012/09/hillsborough-truths-that-were-always-known-a-victory-that-remains-bitter-sweet/
Sunderland 3 Liverpool 0
As usual I’ve left it too late to have my intuitive prediction of 2-1 to the Lads so I will have to go for an outrageous 4-3. That should put us first on Match of the Day… then again. Hopefully I’ll be wrong as I shall also be at a wedding and it’d be terrible to miss it …
For my sins, I’m able to watch all of our league games live on Thai TV.
Sometimes I wish I couldn’t!!
I had a dream!
6-2 home win.
I wonder what odds a bookie would offer for that score?
5-2 is 200s so I would imagine 250s or bigger. Go on Phil, get a couple of quid on.
Unfortunately (or fortunately) I’ve never been a betting man – when I lived in the UK I only dabbled on the pools and, occasionally, the lottery.
In Thailand, there are no “high street” bookies (they are illegal) so (I reckon) the Thais are saving me from myself!!
Sunderland 5 Liverpool 0
I’ve changed my mind on 2-1. I am rising to meet Malcolm in the sky. 5-0 to the lads on Saturday!
This is going to be a tough one. Sterling is tricky and might give gardner the runaround. Suarez is mercurial and can always surprise you. Its too tight to call. Liverpool will be fired up by Rodgers and will be determined to put a bad start behind them, but we’ve got the home crowd and first match of the season is like having an extra man for us.
If Johnson is fit, then I say 2-1. If he’s out I say 1-1.
Ian. well done. A mug shall be yours. Expect an e-mail..
2-1 Liverpool. Sell the mug to Steve.
Trying to build a collection of these mugs for my family (have won 2 already) so I will predict another high scoring classic and go…..3-2 to the lads!
As previously stated before the Swansea game I have a new approach to Guess The Score. I will predict a victory for the opposition. If I’m right I may win a mug, if I’m wrong it means we’ve drawn or better…so it’s 1-0 to the Scousers (please be wrong)!
2-0 Sunderland.
I’m going 1-0 to Sunderland. Think we’ll keep it very tight and nick a goal. Do I get a bonus point for correctly predicting James McLean to cap a tough couple of weeks with a goal?
We’ll see…
gonna be close but I think it’ll end up 2-1 to S’land