Premier League preview: Liverpool v Sunderland

Liverpool begin their 2011-12 English Premier League campaign with a visit from Steve Bruce’s Sunderland on Saturday.

Kenny Dalglish’s side are looking to secure a 19th English title this season and reclaim their crown as England’s most successful club, a position they lost after Manchester United won their 19th championship last term.

The Anfield club have spent big over the off-season, bringing in Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam and goalkeeper Alexander Doni to aid their quest for the title, with the quartet arriving six months after Liverpool’s owners splashed out more than 50 million pounds on strikers Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez.

For midfielder Henderson, Saturday’s clash will be an immediate reunion with his former side after he secured a 20-million-pound move away from the Stadium of Light.

And the 21-year-old said there would be no divided loyalties on his part, despite being sure to have plenty of family and friends in the away end at Anfield on Saturday.

“It’s a big game but I’ve just got to treat it like any other one,” Henderson told the Liverpool Echo.

“Hopefully I can get into the team first of all, and if I get the chance to play I can make my Premier League debut for Liverpool and that’s all that matters really.”

“All of my family and friends are Sunderland supporters and will all want them to win but I’m a Liverpool player now and I’m looking forward to playing for them. Hopefully we can get a good result on the opening day of the season.”

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will miss his side’s opening fixture after a groin injury ruled him out for the first month of the season, while Martin Skrtel and Glen Johnson will also watch from the sidelines.

Steve Bruce’s biggest headache ahead of Saturday’s match is the fitness of his players after returning from international duty.

Nine of Sunderland’s first-team players will be away for international friendlies, with Bruce unable to settle on a starting line-up until they return to the club on Thursday.

“We’ll have to wait until the international friendlies are out of the way before we can make our plans for Liverpool,” he said.

“I find that really disappointing – hugely, hugely disappointing. You’d like all week to prepare your team, but you can’t do it. There you have it. It needs to be addressed.”

Goalkeeper Craig Gordon is a definite non-starter as he recovers from a knee injury, while new signing John O’Shea and Lee Cattermole are also in doubt.