An out-of-form Sunderland side will host Leeds United in a bid to arrest their slump and get some positive momentum to their league season.
Sunderland’s recent form has been a major concern, with Regis Le Bris’s side losing four consecutive league matches heading into Sunday. Defeats against Arsenal, Manchester City, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Bournemouth have halted what a positive start that the fans anticipated, as Sunday’s home fixture now carries far greater emphasis.
The Black Cats were beaten by Bournemouth last weekend after Kevin Danso received a first-half red card. Sunderland were forced to play with 10 men for much of the match, making it difficult for them to recover after conceding.
The Wearside outfit will also hope that home advantage can help them rediscover their confidence. However, their lack of positive results, with just a solitary win this season in the league, does not fill the Stadium of Light with confidence.
Daniel Farke will be eager to avoid another winless result, and possibly want his players to put out a statement performance to rekindle their lost momentum. Their results have been positive overall, despite two draws and one loss, as the displays in those games did give a lot for the German manager to take away.
Last weekend, they put in a superior performance against Manchester United, but could not capitalise on early momentum. Instead, Leeds United found themselves chasing the game owing to a Bryan Mbeumo opener, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s leveller proved enough to share the point.
An away victory would give Leeds valuable breathing room and provide a boost to their confidence, having gone the league games without a win. Farke will now want his players to seize the moment and take advantage of Sunderland’s faltering form to get a crucial win on the road.
Team News & Tactics
Sunderland
Sunderland will be without Kevin Danso, who is suspended after being sent off against Bournemouth. Daniel Ballard (thigh), Romaine Mundle (knee), and Thomas Meunier (hamstring) are also expected to miss out.
Brian Brobbey has been recovering from a hamstring problem and could be involved if he passes a late assessment. It remains unclear whether Regis Le Bris will immediately restore him to the starting lineup, meaning Wilson Isidor may also require a late fitness test.
Habib Diarra will hope to retain his place after returning from a muscle injury, while Robin Roefs is expected to continue in goal. Sunderland should use a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki anchoring the midfield.
Enzo Le Fee should be one of the protagonists of the Sunderland attacking setup, with Malick Fofana likely to act in support from the left-wing. Wilson Isidor will likely lead the line, as his condition is widely expected to be better than that of Brobbey, while Trai Hume will feature off the right hand side of the attack.
Probable lineup (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Mukiele, Alderete, O’Nien, Reinildo; Sadiki, Xhaka; Hume, Le Fee, Fofana; Isidor
Leeds United
Leeds are dealing with some key injury concerns ahead of the trip to the Stadium of Light. Joe Rodon remains doubtful with a hamstring problem, while Mateo Joseph continues to recover from a knee injury.
Daniel James is also a doubt owing to a lower-back issue. His absence would reduce Daniel Farke’s options in the wide areas, although Brenden Aaronson and Harry Wilson could provide alternative attacking options.
Farke is expected to continue with a three-man defensive unit, with James Justin, Nico Elvedi, and Tarik Muharemovic likely to feature at the back. Jayden Bogle and Gabriel Gudmundsson should operate as wing-backs, to continue with their attacking forays from their wide positions.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is likely to start up front if he returns fit in time for the visit to Sunderland, with Noah Okafor supporting him from the front line. In case the leading goalscorer fails to turn up fit, the exit-linked Lukas Nmecha could be in line for his first start in the Premier League this season.
Probable lineup (3-5-2): Trafford; Justin, Elvedi, Muharemovic; Bogle, Tanaka, Ampadu, Stach Gudmundsson; Calvert-Lewin, Okafor
Key Stats
- Sunderland are W3 D1 L8 and a goal differential of -9 against Leeds United in the Premier League.
- Sunderland beat Fulham 1-0 on August 30, their sole home victory, but have failed to score in either of the two home games since, losing 2-0 to Arsenal on September 12 and 2-0 to Brighton & Hove Albion on October 10.
- Sunderland have lost each of their last four matches in the Premier League, thus falling to the bottom of the table.
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin has had over 0.5 shots on target in five of his last six appearances in the Premier League.
Player to Watch
Enzo Le Fee
Much like all of his teammates, Le Fee is yet to hit any kind of decent form this season, and the overall lack of application is hurting the team in a big way. Regis Le Bris will continue to trust his compatriot to lead the attack, especially with Brobbey missing.
His ability to carry the ball into dangerous areas and deliver incisive passes will be important if Sunderland attempt to control possession. Le Fee can also help the hosts transition quickly when Leeds lose the ball. More importantly, the Black Cats need inspiration from somewhere, as the Frenchman might be the one to provide it.
Prediction
Sunderland 1-2 Leeds United
Sunderland have left themselves limited room to back following four consecutive defeats, and one win overall this season. The pressure will be on Regis Le Bris to deliver a result worthy of taking the Black Cats out of the relegation zone and specifically from the bottom of the table.
Leeds United are buzzing with confidence despite recent results not going their way, as Daniel Farke’s side will be out there smelling blood on Sunderland. The visitors are widely expected to take three points here, although the scoreline might be a narrow one at the end of ninety minutes.
