Good evening and welcome to the final Barclays Premier League match of 2015. Relegation-threatened Sunderland host Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool with both sides desperate to pick up the three points. A victory for the Black Cats would be a huge boost heading into the new year as they are currently one off bottom and seven points adrift of the sanctuary of 17th spot. Liverpool are 10th but can move level with sixth-placed Manchester United with a win that would also see them edge to within five points of the top four.

Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool): "Everybody can imagine what will happen at Sunderland. I think they will go back to the roots and we know what is waiting for us. We will be prepared...After Watford, it was clear what we had to do, it was really clear because we had these problems in the games against West Brom and Crystal Palace but not against Leicester because we reacted and that’s really good. That’s what I’m really satisfied with. Now we have to play Sunderland, we don’t want to go there and show how football should be [played]. We go there and want to win, that’s the only reason why we travel there."

Former Sunderland favourite, Jordan Henderson reckons Allardyce is the man to keep the Black Cats in the topflight - but is hoping they start moving up the table AFTER Liverpool's visit.

Sam Allardyce (Sunderland): "From our point of view Liverpool can be beaten if you get the game plan right and frustrate them. I saw Tony [Pulis] nearly beat them so they have some weaknesses where you can expose [them]. We need to get back to being resilient and we need to get back to being spoilers to get ourselves the result.”

Will Benteke's winner against Leicester on Boxing Day kick-start his Liverpool career? The Belgian striker revealed he had a heart-to-heart with Klopp prior to his match-winning heroics off the bench. He said: "We had a 'man conversation' and I think it is going to help me and help the team. I have to run more and I have to be there for my team-mates."

Just the one change for Liverpool as Christian Benteke starts in place of the injured Divock Origi. Joe Allen did travel to the North East but was sent home with a virus. Jordan Ibe in on the bench after his own absence with a similar problem.

A big night for Wes Brown. The 36-year-old former Man United defender comes into the Sunderland starting xi for only the second time this season. The Black Cats have a defensive crisis with Younes Kaboul and John O'Shea missing. Brown's only other appearance for the hosts was in a 6-2 mauling at Everton.

TEAMS - SUNDERLAND: Mannone, Jones, Coates, Brown, Van Aanholt, Cattermole, M'Vila, Rodwell, Johnson, Borini, Defoe... Subs: Pantilimon, Yedlin, Beadling, Watmore, Lens, Toivonen, Graham. /// LIVERPOOL: Mignolet, Clyne, Lovren, Sakho, Moreno, Can, Henderson, Lallana, Firmino, Coutinho, Benteke... Subs: Bogdan, Toure, Lucas, Ibe, Randall, Smith, Teixeira.