Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of Liverpool against Sunderland at Anfield. We’ll bring you build-up and team news over the next hour, followed by full text commentary.

Klopp will be in agony watching this... and not just because of the appendicitis. It's slow and laborious from the home side.

Firmino follows up the Milner break with a frustrated shot from distance. It's a decent hit, but never looks like dipping under the bar.

A golden chance goes begging for Liverpool. A brilliant Firmino through-ball plays Milner in, but he doesn't have the pace to stay away and get the shot in, nor the composure to look up and pick out Lallana in the middle.

Sunderland spring a counter-attack, but there's a lack of support up with Defoe and he's crowded out.

Watmore isn't going to be able to continue and hobbles off down the tunnel. N'Doye replaces him.

The outgoing FA chairman Greg Dyke is in the stands, presumably taking advantage of the free tickets while he still can.

The game restarts with Watmore still on the sidelines.

Watmore is clattered by Moreno off the ball and is going to take a while to shake it off. Big Sam takes advantage of the break in play to give some animated tactical instructions to Jermain Defoe.

It's the first chance of the game and it falls to Liverpool's Alberto Moreno. The full-back is fed in behind by Lallana, but his shot is well saved at the near post by Vito Mannone.

There are a lot of tidy midfielders in this Liverpool side, but you do get the sense that they are going to struggle to create chances today. At least they've got options on the bench.

Again Liverpool try to thread the needle, but Lallana's cut-back is easily cleared.

Liverpool are starting to boss the game, but Sunderland have a lot of numbers back in defence (shock) and are making it hard for Firmino and company to find any space.

Maybe there is something in this hamstring-Klopp link. I always thought it was cobblers, spouted by people who have an axe to grind with exciting, young, foreign managers, but Liverpool have had a lot of hamstring issues since the chance of management. Maybe a lack of pre-season preparation is the problem.

Toure comes on to replace Lovren, who joins Liverpool's concerning injury tally since Klopp took over.

Lovren has injured himself in the process of making that clearance and is going to have to go off.

Defoe is played in behind, but Lovren is alert to the danger and shows an impressive turn of pace to get back and clear. The centre-back had to deal with Vardy in the week so has had some very useful preparation for the Defoe test.