Liverpool and Sunderland met twice in the Premier League during the 2025–26 season, producing a draw and a narrow Liverpool win. With a pre-season friendly scheduled for July 2026, this article examines their current standings, head-to-head record, recent results, and what lies ahead for both clubs.
Sunderland returned to the top flight for the 2025–26 campaign, setting up a pair of league meetings with a Liverpool side undergoing transition. By the time of their second encounter in February 2026, both teams occupied mid-to-upper positions in the table, though Liverpool held the edge in quality and recent history.
The following breakdown draws on match data from Sofascore, ESPN, Sky Sports, and other verified sources to give a clear picture of where these two historic clubs stand.
What are the current league standings for Liverpool and Sunderland?
Premier League, Championship, Carabao Cup, Club Friendlies
11 Feb 2026 – Sunderland 0–1 Liverpool (Premier League)
25 Jul 2026 – Club Friendly (per Sofascore)
170 matches: Liverpool 79 wins, Sunderland 52 wins, 39 draws (WorldFootball.net)
Standings data from the period around the February 2026 fixture offers a snapshot of where each club sat. According to Sofascore, at the time of the 11 February 2026 match at the Stadium of Light, Liverpool were 5th in the Premier League table and Sunderland were 11th. That placed Liverpool within striking distance of the Champions League places and Sunderland comfortably in mid-table after a strong first half of the season.
- Sunderland’s return to the Premier League – The Black Cats were back in the top flight for 2025–26 after spending several seasons in the Championship. Their league position of 11th in February reflected a competitive campaign.
- Liverpool’s inconsistency – The Reds were 5th at the time of the away win, but their form around that period was patchy, with losses to PSG, Manchester City, and Brighton either side of the Sunderland fixture.
- Home strength snapped – Sunderland’s 0–1 loss to Liverpool on 11 February 2026 ended their unbeaten home Premier League streak, as highlighted by NBC Sports.
- Only second league win of 2026 for Liverpool – Sky Sports and NBC Sports noted that the victory at the Stadium of Light was only Liverpool’s second Premier League win of the calendar year.
- Sunderland’s mixed form – In the weeks around the Liverpool match, Sunderland recorded wins over Tottenham, Newcastle, and Leeds but lost to Brighton and Port Vale (FA Cup).
- No single source for side-by-side standings – As identified in the SERP analysis, no page provides a consolidated view of both teams’ current league positions in one place.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Last result | Sunderland 0–1 Liverpool (11 Feb 2026) |
| Previous result | Liverpool 1–1 Sunderland (3 Dec 2025) |
| Competition (last two) | English Premier League |
| Venue (Feb 2026) | Stadium of Light, Sunderland |
| Goal scorer (Feb 2026) | Virgil van Dijk (61′) |
| Next scheduled match | 25 Jul 2026 – Club Friendly |
| Liverpool position (Feb 2026) | 5th in Premier League (Sofascore) |
| Sunderland position (Feb 2026) | 11th in Premier League (Sofascore) |
| All-time matches | 170 (WorldFootball.net) |
| All-time Liverpool wins | 79 |
| All-time Sunderland wins | 52 |
| All-time draws | 39 |
What is the head-to-head record between Liverpool and Sunderland?
All-time historical record
According to WorldFootball.net, the two clubs have met 170 times across all competitions. Liverpool hold the advantage with 79 victories, Sunderland have won 52, and 39 matches have ended in a draw. The aggregate goal tally stands at 285 goals for Liverpool and 226 for Sunderland. Other databases, such as AiScore, show slightly different totals — one section lists Liverpool with 18 wins, Sunderland 3, and 11 draws, while another shows 19 Liverpool wins. That inconsistency likely reflects differences in competition filters and database update timing. WorldFootball.net provides the more comprehensive long-run historical reference.
2025–26 season meetings
The two sides met twice in the Premier League during the 2025–26 season. The first fixture, on 3 December 2025 at Anfield, ended in a 1–1 draw, as confirmed by the Wikipedia season log and WhoScored. The second took place on 11 February 2026 at the Stadium of Light, where Liverpool won 1–0 thanks to a 61st-minute header from Virgil van Dijk. That win gave Liverpool one victory and one draw from the two league encounters, with Sunderland finishing the season series without a win.
The 1–0 scoreline in February 2026 was notable not only because it ended Sunderland’s unbeaten home league run, but also because it represented only Liverpool’s second Premier League win of 2026. Liverpool’s away form had been inconsistent, making the result at a difficult Stadium of Light a significant one.
Key trends
Liverpool have historically dominated this fixture, but Sunderland have often made matches competitive, especially at home. The 2025–26 season continued that pattern — a tight draw at Anfield followed by a narrow Liverpool win in the north-east. Neither side blew the other away, and both matches were decided by fine margins.
What happened in the last match between Liverpool and Sunderland?
Sunderland 0–1 Liverpool | 11 February 2026 | Stadium of Light
The most recent competitive meeting between these two clubs took place on 11 February 2026 in the Premier League. Liverpool secured a 1–0 victory, with Virgil van Dijk scoring the only goal in the 61st minute. The match was a tight, defensive affair — Sunderland had been in strong form at home and had not lost a Premier League match at the Stadium of Light all season prior to this result.
What the result meant
Sky Sports and Sofascore both recorded that the defeat snapped Sunderland’s unbeaten home league streak. NBC Sports’ highlight recap described Sunderland as hitting a “sticky patch” and noted that the loss came at a point in the season where the Black Cats were still competing well in the top half of the table. For Liverpool, it was a hard-fought away win that provided a boost after a run of inconsistent results that included losses to PSG, Manchester City (FA Cup), and Brighton.
Key match details
- Competition: Premier League
- Venue: Stadium of Light, Sunderland
- Attendance: Not specified in available data
- Goal: Virgil van Dijk (61′)
- Result: Sunderland 0–1 Liverpool
When is the next Liverpool vs Sunderland match and what is the prediction?
Next fixture: 25 July 2026 – Club Friendly
According to Sofascore and FotMob, Liverpool and Sunderland are scheduled to meet in a pre-season friendly on 25 July 2026. This is not a competitive fixture — it falls ahead of the 2026–27 season and is likely to be used by both managers to test squad depth and fitness. The venue has not been confirmed in the available data, though pre-season friendlies involving Premier League clubs are sometimes held in neutral or overseas locations.
While the date and competition are listed in live match databases, no official club announcements, ticket details, or broadcast information have been provided in the available sources. The match may be subject to change or cancellation, as is common with pre-season schedules. Check official club channels closer to the date for confirmation.
What about a Carabao Cup meeting?
Despite user interest in a potential Carabao Cup fixture between Liverpool and Sunderland, no such match is confirmed in the provided data. The two clubs were not drawn together in the competition during the 2025–26 season. Future cup meetings would depend on the draw for the 2026–27 competition, which had not been released at the time of this analysis.
No expert predictions for the July 2026 friendly are available from the sourced material. Given that friendlies often involve heavy rotation, experimental line-ups, and substitutes, predicting outcomes is unreliable. For competitive matches, Liverpool’s historical edge and higher league position (5th vs 11th at the time of their last meeting) would suggest they enter as favourites.
Timeline of recent Liverpool vs Sunderland meetings
- 3 December 2025 – Premier League: Liverpool 1–1 Sunderland at Anfield. (Source: Wikipedia season log, WhoScored)
- 11 February 2026 – Premier League: Sunderland 0–1 Liverpool at the Stadium of Light. Virgil van Dijk scored the winner in the 61st minute. (Source: Sofascore, Sky Sports, FotMob)
- 25 July 2026 – Club Friendly: Liverpool vs Sunderland (scheduled). (Source: Sofascore, FotMob)
These three fixtures represent all confirmed meetings between the two clubs in the period covered by the available data. No other competitive or exhibition matches are recorded.
What is confirmed and what remains uncertain about Liverpool vs Sunderland?
| Established information | Information that remains unclear |
|---|---|
| The last competitive match was on 11 February 2026, ending 0–1 to Liverpool. | The current league standings for both clubs beyond February 2026 are not provided in the source data. Sunderland’s final league position for 2025–26 is unknown. |
| The previous meeting on 3 December 2025 ended 1–1. | Whether Sunderland remain in the Premier League for the 2026–27 season or were relegated is not specified. |
| A club friendly is scheduled for 25 July 2026. | No Carabao Cup fixture between the two teams is confirmed for the near future. |
| Liverpool won 1 and drew 1 of the two league meetings in 2025–26. | The venue and broadcast details for the July 2026 friendly are not available. |
| All-time head-to-head: Liverpool 79 wins, Sunderland 52 wins, 39 draws (170 matches). | Some databases (e.g., AiScore) show different totals, likely due to competition filters. |
What is the broader context of the Liverpool vs Sunderland rivalry?
Liverpool and Sunderland are two of English football’s oldest clubs, and their head-to-head history stretches back well over a century. Liverpool have generally been the stronger side, particularly in the Premier League era, while Sunderland have spent multiple seasons in the Championship before their return to the top flight in 2025–26. The 2025–26 season was significant because it marked Sunderland’s first Premier League campaign in several years, and their home form — until the February loss to Liverpool — had been a major factor in their mid-table position.
The “First Home Defeat Of The Season” reference from the NBC Sports YouTube highlights underscores just how competitive Sunderland had been at the Stadium of Light. Losing that record to a Liverpool side that was itself struggling for consistency added extra weight to the result. Future meetings between these clubs will depend largely on whether Sunderland maintain their Premier League status or drop back to the Championship, which would pause the rivalry until they next share a division.
Where can I find reliable sources for Liverpool vs Sunderland match data?
“Final score Liverpool 1-1 Sunderland”
— ESPN match summary, 3 December 2025
“Upcoming match on 25 Jul 2026 at 22:00 UTC”
— Sofascore fixture listing
“First Home Defeat Of The Season | Sunderland AFC 0 – 1 Liverpool FC”
— NBC Sports YouTube highlight recap
These three sources — ESPN, Sofascore, and NBC Sports — provide verified match results and fixture data. For ongoing league standings, the Premier League’s official table and the EFL Championship table are the most reliable references. For deeper historical head-to-head statistics, WorldFootball.net offers the most comprehensive long-run dataset with 170 matches recorded.
Additional platforms such as Flashscore provide head-to-head stats and live scores, while SofaScore’s dedicated match page includes line-ups, statistics, and the upcoming friendly listing. For the official Premier League table, visit the Premier League official standings, and for Championship context (should Sunderland’s division status change), the EFL Championship table is the authoritative source.
What is the overall summary of the Liverpool vs Sunderland matchup?
Liverpool lead the all-time head-to-head with 79 wins to Sunderland’s 52 from 170 meetings. In the 2025–26 Premier League season, Liverpool won one and drew one of the two encounters, with Virgil van Dijk scoring the decisive goal in a 1–0 away victory that ended Sunderland’s unbeaten home run. A pre-season friendly is scheduled for 25 July 2026, but no competitive fixtures are currently confirmed beyond that. For fans looking for in-depth head-to-head coverage of other clubs, the Arsenal F.C. vs Bayern Munich – Head-to-Head Record and 2025 Result and the Ipswich Town vs Chelsea – Complete Head-to-Head Guide offer similar comparative analysis.
Frequently asked questions about Liverpool vs Sunderland
Are Liverpool and Sunderland in the same league for the 2025–26 season?
Yes — both teams competed in the Premier League in 2025–26, as confirmed by the two league fixtures between them. Sunderland’s status for the following season depends on their final league position, which is not provided in the available data.
How can I watch Liverpool vs Sunderland live?
Live broadcast details are not included in the provided sources. For Premier League matches, check official broadcasters such as Sky Sports (UK) or Peacock (US). For the July 2026 friendly, monitor official club channels closer to the date.
What is the historical rivalry between Liverpool and Sunderland?
The clubs have met 170 times across all competitions since the late 19th century. Liverpool hold the overall advantage, but Sunderland have produced memorable results, particularly at home. For a full historical record, consult WorldFootball.net or 11v11.com.
Who won the last Liverpool vs Sunderland match?
Liverpool won the most recent competitive meeting on 11 February 2026, beating Sunderland 1–0 at the Stadium of Light. Virgil van Dijk scored the only goal in the 61st minute.
What is the prediction for the upcoming Liverpool vs Sunderland friendly?
No expert predictions are available for the 25 July 2026 friendly. Pre-season matches are often used for squad rotation and experimentation, making outcomes difficult to forecast. Liverpool’s stronger squad depth may give them an edge.
When did the last Carabao Cup match between Liverpool and Sunderland take place?
No Carabao Cup fixture between the two clubs is recorded in the provided data for the 2025–26 season. A future cup meeting would depend on the draw for the following season’s competition.
What was the score of the Liverpool vs Sunderland match in December 2025?
The match on 3 December 2025 at Anfield ended in a 1–1 draw. Full goal scorer details are not provided in the available sources, but both teams scored once.
Is Liverpool vs Sunderland on TV?
Broadcast information for past and future matches is not included in the supplied data. For competitive fixtures, check Sky Sports, TNT Sports, or local broadcasters. Friendly matches are less likely to be televised.
Where will the Liverpool vs Sunderland friendly on 25 July 2026 be played?
The venue for the 25 July 2026 friendly is not confirmed in the available sources. Pre-season friendlies involving Premier League clubs are sometimes held at neutral grounds or overseas locations. Check official club announcements for updates.
How many times have Liverpool and Sunderland played each other?
According to WorldFootball.net, the two clubs have met 170 times across all competitions as of the 2025–26 season. That total includes league matches, cup ties, and other competitive fixtures.
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Kieran Doherty covers Westminster, councils, public policy and political affairs across the United Kingdom.