Sunderland vs Liverpool team news: Xhaka ruled out
Sunderland vs Liverpool team news is out, and the main talking point is that Granit Xhaka will not feature at the Stadium of Light tonight.
The 33-year-old Swiss midfielder has been one of Régis Le Bris’ most dependable starters this season, making him the standout omission from Sunderland’s squad. Liverpoolfc.com confirmed Sunderland will be without both Bertrand Traore and Xhaka for the Premier League clash, although Le Bris delivered encouraging news on Noah Sadiki after he was substituted in the second half against Arsenal.
Sadiki was taken off midway through Sunderland’s 3-0 defeat away to Arsenal on Saturday, but Le Bris has since said the midfielder is “good.”
According to Sofascore, Xhaka has started 22 Premier League matches this season and averages 89 minutes per game — a clear sign of how important he is to Sunderland’s system.
The same statistics show he has five assists, averages 1.1 key passes per match, and has created seven big chances. Defensively, he is also heavily involved, with 1.6 tackles and 0.9 interceptions per game, alongside strong duel success both on the ground and in the air.
Sunderland are unbeaten at home in the league this season, so losing the midfielder who links play, controls tempo, and drives standards is a significant blow. In Xhaka’s absence, Le Bris has handed captaincy duties to Trai Hume and explained the decision in a way that will likely connect with the Stadium of Light crowd.
“Sunderland belongs to a working-class community and Trai is a good example of earning things.”
“He is really well balanced and intense, and a good example and captain for the squad.”
Liverpool are also dealing with fitness concerns, with Arne Slot once again having to work with limited options — particularly at right-back.
Joe Gomez could return to the matchday squad, but Slot stressed that the situation remains delicate.
“Joe has not trained with us yet.”
“I’m expecting him to train with us for the first time today. If Joe is not ready to start then we are missing four players who have played in that position.”
Jeremie Frimpong is still out, Dominik Szoboszlai is suspended, and Conor Bradley remains a long-term absentee. Giovanni Leoni and Alexander Isak are also unavailable.
Chris Sutton has already described tonight as a major challenge, highlighting Sunderland’s organisation and physical approach — qualities that could become even more decisive if Liverpool are forced into another makeshift defensive setup.
For Sunderland, the message is simple. They can draw confidence from their unbeaten home form, but without Xhaka the job becomes harder, as Liverpool will aim to dominate the midfield, turn control into pressure, and pressure into three points.
