Liverpool vs Sunderland team news: Daniel Sturridge returns with Jurgen Klopp absent as Duncan Watmore starts

Surridge could make his first appearance since 6 December

Daniel Sturridge is a surprise inclusion among the substitutes bench for a Liverpool team that is without its manager, Jurgen Klopp, for the visit of Sunderland to Anfield.

Klopp is suffering from a suspected bout of appendicitis and will not be in the dug-out for the match. However, one person who will is England striker Sturridge, and he could make his first appearance since the 2-0 defeat to Newcastle in early December after recovering from injury.

Joe Allen returns to the starting line-up after recovering from a shoulder injury, and the Wales international replaces Lucas Leiva in the only change, meaning that Roberto Moreno continues to lead the attack in place of the £32.5m striker Christian Benteke.

Sunderland make two changes to the side that lost 1-0 to Manchester City, with Duncan Pickford and Wahbi Khazri returning in place of Fabio Borini and Jeremain Lens, who both miss out through injury.

Teams

Liverpool: Mignolet; Clyne, Lovren, Sakho, Moreno; Allen, Henderson, Can; Milner, Lallana; Firmino.

Subs: Ward, Toure, Benteke, Sturridge, Lucas, Ibe, Flanagan.

Sunderland: Mannone, Jones, van Aanholt, O’Shea, Kone, Kirchhoff, Cattermole, M’Vila, Khazri, Watmore Defoe.

Subs: Pickford, Brown, Rodwell, N’Doye, Johnson, Toivonen, Yedlin.