After a night of Premier League chaos, the midweek drama is set to continue with two more crucial fixtures this evening. The focus is on Anfield, where Liverpool host Sunderland, and Elland Road, where Leeds United welcome Chelsea, with both matches kicking off at 20:15 GMT.
Team News: Salah Remains on Liverpool Bench
The major team news comes from Merseyside, where Liverpool manager Arne Slot has again omitted star forward Mohamed Salah from his starting line-up. Slot makes just one change from the side that beat West Ham, with Andy Robertson coming in for Milos Kerkez.
Salah's continued absence from the starting eleven is the headline decision. Slot had previously admitted feeling "uneasy" about dropping the Egyptian, who will soon depart for the Africa Cup of Nations. Speaking ahead of the match, the Dutch coach said: "It is not a nice thing for him, not for a Liverpool fan, and not for me. I prefer to see Mo on the pitch, scoring his goals." He praised Salah's professional attitude in training despite the disappointment.
Visitors Sunderland have made two alterations, with Brian Brobbey and Trai Hume drafted into the side.
Leeds and Chelsea Ring the Changes
In the evening's other late kick-off, both Leeds and Chelsea have shuffled their packs. Leeds make four changes from the team defeated by Manchester City. Gabriel Gudmundsson, Jaka Bijol, Anton Stach, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin all earn starting spots.
Chelsea's manager Enzo Maresca has been even more proactive, making five changes following the Blues' draw with Arsenal. The fresh faces in the line-up are Andrey Santos, Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, Jamie Gittens, and Liam Delap.
Following a Night of Premier League Mayhem
Tonight's games follow an extraordinary evening of football on Tuesday. The drama included Manchester City nearly surrendering a 5-1 lead at Fulham before securing a narrow victory, and Tottenham's Cristian Romero scoring a last-gasp overhead kick to snatch a point at Newcastle. Everton also secured a historic late win at Bournemouth.
With four other matches taking place earlier this evening—featuring Arsenal, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, and others—the Premier League's festive schedule is delivering relentless action. All eyes will now be on how Slot's bold selection call pays off for Liverpool and whether Chelsea's new-look side can find form at a hostile Elland Road.
