Last season, Leeds United and Sunderland were locked in a battle for promotion, and now the same two managers will fight it out in the Premier League. Elland Road will host this clash, with the reverse fixture at the Stadium of Light ending in a 1-1 draw back in December.
Daniel Farke will miss his place in the dugout for this one after the Leeds United boss confronted referee Peter Bankes following the loss to Manchester City at the weekend. There were a few controversial decisions in the game, including a penalty call for Matheus Nunes handling the ball, as Leeds United finished empty-handed after taking points in two of their most recent league games against Chelsea and Aston Villa.
Farke’s men are still not out of the woods when it comes to relegation talk, as they are only six points above 18th-placed West Ham United. The German manager will once again want the Elland Road crowd to play its part and help the team as they aim to overcome a tough Sunderland side.
Last season in the EFL Championship, Sunderland finished the term in fourth, 24 points behind champions Leeds United. However, in the top flight, the tables have turned in a big way, with Regis Le Bris’s charges now sitting six points ahead of their rivals. Sunderland could only manage a draw away at Bournemouth at the weekend, as Eliezer Mayenda’s opener was cancelled out by a second-half strike from Evanilson.
Le Bris still harbours European ambitions in the Black Cats’ first season back in the top flight, although they remain six points away from the nearest European spot. With ten more games to go in the league, the Sunderland boss will want to maximise their efforts not only to get back into the top half of the table, but also to push for a European place.
Noah Okafor is Leeds United’s only injury-related absentee, so Daniel Farke has a nice selection headache to ponder. Lukas Nmecha could come in to partner Dominic Calvert-Lewin up front, with the Leeds United head coach likely to tweak his system to accommodate two forwards.
Such a change could see Brenden Aaronson shift into a slightly deeper role as Leeds United’s creative outlet, with Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev in that midfield set-up. Jayden Bogle and Gabriel Gudmundsson will feature in the full-back roles, while Farke may have to decide between Jaka Bijol and James Justin in his back line.
The former has not played too much of late due to injury, but this might be the game for him to start for Leeds United at the back alongside Pascal Struijk and Joe Rodon.
Probable Line-up (3-5-2): Darlow; Rodon, Bijol, Struijk; Bogle, Aaronson, Ampadu, Gruev, Gudmundsson; Nmecha, Calvert-Lewin
Regis Le Bris has no fresh injury concerns following the trip to Bournemouth, so he could have a similar squad to choose from for this visit to Elland Road. Dennis Cirkin, Reinildo Mandava, Romaine Mundle, Brian Brobbey, Nordi Mukiele, and Jocelin Ta Bi are all sidelined.
Those defensive absences could see captain Trai Hume once again fill in at left-back, with Lutsharel Geertruida, Omar Alderete and Daniel Ballard set to feature in the Sunderland backline against Leeds United.
With Granit Xhaka now fit and available, he will start in midfield alongside Harrison Jones and Ian Poveda. Enzo Le Fee and Chemsdine Talbi are set to feature in the attacking front three, while Eliezer Mayenda will continue to lead the line for Sunderland against Leeds United in Brobbey’s absence.
Probable Line-up (4-3-3): Roefs; Geertruida, Alderete, Ballard, Hume; Jones, Poveda, Xhaka; Talbi, Mayenda, Le Fee
Regis Le Bris severely missed the presence of his talismanic midfielder, Granit Xhaka, during his brief injury absence, and the difference was evident in the draw at Bournemouth. The Swiss skipper offers control in the middle and allows Sunderland to keep a foot on proceedings.
He will be key in this tough clash away from home at Elland Road, as Sunderland look to push on with their European ambitions. A win is very difficult at this ground, but for Sunderland to have a level of control, they will need Xhaka at his very best.
Sunderland have struggled this season on the road, and that was evident again in their draw at Bournemouth. Despite taking the lead, their inability to close out games has been their primary problem, and Leeds United will punish them for lapses.
Leeds United are in a better vein of form, and their solitary loss in the last five games came at the weekend against Manchester City. They have shown plenty of signs of improvement, and that could be evident against Sunderland, with Leeds United expected to nick a narrow win at Elland Road.
