Sunderland v Liverpool: Reeling Reds a lay at odds-against

• Sunderland have been superb at home this season

• Liverpool have been unconvincing on the road

• For the latest Betfair football odds click here

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The Stadium of Light has been a fortress

Arsenal have gone there. Manchester City have gone there. Aston Villa have gone there. Newcastle have gone there. Eight other Premier League sides have also headed to the Stadium of Light this season.

None of them have gone home with all three points.

That's hugely impressive and, for a promoted team, it's bordering on remarkable. Here we are in February and Sunderland are the only team in either the Premier League, Championship or League One to still boast an unbeaten home record.

The tally in those 12 matches is seven wins and five draws. Sunderland have scored 21 goals in front of their home fans and conceded just nine. 

Reds on the rocks again 

There are numerous ways to highlight how unexpected this season has been. Sunderland being unbeaten at home is one; Liverpool being on the same number of points as Brentford after 25 games is another. The Reds finished 28 points above The Bees when winning the title last season.

Liverpool have now lost eight Premier League games this term after the 2-1 home loss to Manchester City. That defeat left them in sixth and with Manchester United and Chelsea both picking up win after win under new managers, Liverpool are in real danger of missing out on a Champions League spot. On the Betfair Exchange they're now 2.6613/8 for a Top 4 Finish.

Away from home, Liverpool have looked particularly vulnerable, suffering five defeats and managing just four wins in 12 matches. They've shipped 21 goals on the road which highlights a lack of steel, as does their continuing habit of conceding late winners.

Get Mark O'Haire's best bet for Sunderland v Liverpool

Liverpool have to be laid

The market suggests Sunderland are a medium to poor home team while Liverpool are strong on the road.

How wrong that is!

It surely gives us an opportunity. Liverpool have won just two away games in the Premier League since mid-September. They were against West Ham and Spurs, who have lost a staggering 14 home games between them. A reminder that Sunderland have lost none!

Given those stats, plenty will be lured by the 15/44.75 for a Sunderland win while The Draw at 29/103.90 also looks big. Liverpool are 8/111.73.

I'm somewhere between a home win and a draw - in which case the lay of Liverpool on the Betfair Exchange is the obvious route.

While Granit Xhaka's absence is an obvious negative for the Black Cats, Liverpool will definitely miss Dominic Szoboszlai's energy, athleticism and rocket shot in a game like this.

His red card against Manchester City gives the Reds a real headache at right-back, with either Curtis Jones or Wataru Endo now having to fill in.

Let's also recall that Sunderland drew at Anfield earlier this season and absolutely deserved their point.

Cash in on Liverpool's slow starts

The other way of having a pro-Sunderland bet or anti-Liverpool - whichever way you look at it - is the Lead at 10-20-30-60 minutes market.

It's a feature of Liverpool's play that they're slow starters. Manchester City didn't ultimately punish them in the first 45 at Anfield but they should have done.

Looking at away games, Liverpool were 2-0 down after 33 minutes against Bournemouth and trailed after 17 minutes against Fulham. They were behind at the break in both.

Even in the 4-1 home win over Newcastle, Slot's men were 1-0 down after 36 minutes before Hugo Ekitike levelled after 41.

The hosts have netted inside 35 minutes in three of their last five games so there's scope here to back Sunderland to lead at 30 minutes at a juicy 9/25.50.

Now read all our previews of this week's Premier League games