Sunderland vs Liverpool: Why Geordie Andy Carroll Can Make the Difference

The Tyne-Wear derby contested between bitter rivals Sunderland and Newcastle is a battle with deeper roots than many of the rivalries that exist today, seeing as it predates soccer by 226 years.

In the club's first meeting this season, Newcastle hammered their opponents by a score of 5-1, and the second fixture was a closely fought 1-1 draw. Andy Carroll was involved in both matches but failed to score, so Liverpool's newest striker is Newcastle born and bred so will be on the hunt for goals against his former club's rivals.

Kenny Dalglish admitted that he didn't want to play Carroll for the whole match against SC Braga, but he will need the No. 9's services as the club turns its full attention on the Premier League after being unceremoniously dumped out of the Europa League.

At the time of writing Liverpool sit sixth in the table, six points behind Tottenham having played a game more than the London club. The Reds need points and they need them quickly if they are to have any hope of sneaking into European competition and remaining in a position to attract top talent to Anfield.

The purchase of Andy Carroll for so much money was a long-sighted bit of business but they need him to find his feet quickly to continue pushing the club through this tough time.

Sunderland are without a win in their last five matches and this would be a perfect time to finally unleash a Suarez-Carroll partnership on the Premier League. Liverpool looked flat and quite unimpressive against Braga, but the return of Suarez and a homecoming to the bench for Joe Cole should be able to secure a much needed victory.

Sunderland prefer a 4-3-3 which looks likely to be the team we'll see thanks to a return to action for midfield enforcer (and former Liverpool target) Lee Cattermole. This will suit Liverpool just fine, as if Carroll starts Dalglish will likely go with a straightforward 4-4-2, with Dirk Kuyt pushed out to the right and a likely return for Maxi Rodriguez on the left.

Shorn of Steven Gerrard for a month, the Reds will look to Meireles and Suarez for creativity, and a three-man Sunderland midfield will suit a deep-lying Suarez, especially if he manages to interchange well with Meireles as we've seen before.

We know that Glen Johnson has the ability to cross a ball even if we haven't quite seen it lately, but the ample target of Carroll's forehead should encourage the right back to bomb forward a little more and loft passes into the box.

Without genuine wingers, Liverpool will need some overlapping from the fullbacks, and with an inexperienced Danny Wilson filling in on the left any penetration will likely come from the right. This will hopefully serve to pin back Sunderland's Kieran Richardson, who can be dangerous when going forward, especially when in a position to cross the ball.

Most importantly, Sunderland are unlikely to sit back and defend given that they are playing at home so will be taking the game to Liverpool. The Reds have shown their inability to break down disciplined, organized opposition so hitting a team on the counter-attack will suit us very well.

This is where Andy Carroll will be so crucial, primarily as an outlet so that clearances and long-passes from deep in Liverpool's half won't simply be collected and returned, but challenged by the big forward. The thought of Carroll holding up a ball to play into an on-rushing Suarez of Meireles against Sunderland's back line is very appealing and should provide glimpses of Dalglish's vision for Liverpool's offensive capabilities.

But adding to his abilities as simply a big-man, Carroll is a tireless worker. Understandably he isn't 100 percent fit after his injury and limited match opportunities, but with both the Englishman and Suarez pressing a Sunderland back-line who don't boast anyone very comfortable on the ball, we may see a slip-up that could yield an opportunity.

Even if Carroll only gets the remaining 20 or 30 minutes of the match as a substitute, he will change the dynamic of that game enough to give Liverpool an advantage.

The Reds need a boost after the disappointing midweek result, and a win against Sunderland would provide just the tonic. Liverpool's next match is against Roy Hodgson's West Brom who will likely park the bus and defend even though they are playing at home.

A goal for Andy Carroll and a win at the Stadium of Light would be just the confidence boost this team needs.

Now let's all hope that Gyan and John Mensah don't attempt any retribution on Luis Suarez for his handball theatrics at the World Cup!