Friday, 14 September, 2012 - 10:15 to Saturday, 15 September, 2012 - 19:15

Sunderland welcome Liverpool to The Stadium of Light for the evening kick-off in the Premier League on Saturday after a week of justice and emotion on Merseyside.

Sunderland are a best price 12/5 to win this one with Bet365, the draw is 9/4 with Paddy Power and Liverpool are favourites at 13/10 with William Hill.

After a difficult, yet successful week in Liverpool and the outpouring of emotion regarding the Hillsborough disaster it would be typical of Liverpool Football Club to travel to the North East and do a real job on Sunderland. You can see it now, Steven Gerrard smashing a 30 yarder and dedicating his goal to the 96 in-front of a hoard of fans who have not stopping singing and demanding justice for the past 23 years.

That would be the dream outcome for the club, and in some ways even more justice for the fans, staff and players that have not stopped campaigning for the day that finally came on Tuesday but unfortunately this is football, and things don’t always work out that way.

No doubt Liverpool will have a tremendous following up in Sunderland but from a betting perspective we must not get carried away with the emotions of the week and remember that on the pitch so far this season, Liverpool have not been great. They were outplayed, outclassed, outpassed and out-just about everything else at Anfield two weeks ago and in their opening day away match at West Brom that were hammered 3-0. A 2-2 draw against Manchester City, in which they should of won once again proves the myth that they turn on their best form against the teams who will challenge for the Premier League but that win came at a cost as Lucas once again crocked himself.

Sunderland haven’t started too sprightly themselves with two draws but their influx of signings late on in the window means the likes of two goal hero on his debut Steven Fletcher and Adam Johnson provided a much needed spark against Swansea and their home debuts could be a winning one if they play anything like they did in South Wales.

In the betting, Sunderland immediately stand out at 12/5 and that is a price that should be seriously considered but for a bit of extra insurance Sunderland to win on the draw no bet market (11/8 with Bet365) looks a great punt.

Steven Fletcher got off to a flyer in a Sunderland shirt with two goals against Swansea and he is 7/1 (Betfred) to score first on Saturday, we like the look of that but 11/4 to score anytime (Sportingbet) again looks overpriced.

Just from a statistical point of view, both teams have only scored once in the last 12 meetings between these two sides, both teams not to score is 11/10 with Bet365.