Top-four chasing Sunderland host relegation-battling Leeds United in a Premier League clash at the Stadium of Light.
Victory would lift Sunderland up to fifth in the table, whilst Leeds can climb to 15th with a win.
Team News
Sunderland have no fresh injury concerns following their goalless draw at Brighton.
Reinildo, Noah Sadiki, Arthur Masuaku, Habib Diarra, Bertrand Traore, Chemsdine Talbi (international duty), Luke O’Nien (suspension) and Aji Alese (shoulder) remain absent.
Leeds could welcome Lukas Nmecha back from a hamstring injury, but otherwise have no fresh injury concerns following their 4-1 home win over Crystal Palace.
Dan James (hamstring) and Sean Longstaff (calf) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Sunderland host Leeds at Stadium of Light on Sunday 28 December at 2pm GMT, live on Sky Sports in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Sunderland have won just two of their 10 previous Premier League meetings against Leeds (W2, L8).
- Leeds have won four of their five previous Premier League trips to Sunderland (W4, L1).
- Sunderland have kept a single clean sheet at home to Leeds in the Premier League.
- Sunderland are looking to keep three consecutive clean sheets for the first time since March – April 2025.
- Two of Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s seven league goals for Leeds this season were scored from headers.
Prediction
Having had to adapt to being without some key players for the short-term future in their goalless draw at Brighton, Sunderland can be pleased at how they grinded out a vital point in a pretty close game but they will need to be more solid here given their poor home form in this fixture.
The Stadium of Light though has been a fortress for Sunderland this season and with a few days to have shaken off the festivities, I expect the team and home crowd to be right up for this game because they have a great opportunity to keep pace with their immediate top-four race rivals.
Leeds though have found their attacking groove lately and produced a dominant front-footed controlling home display to thrash Palace, which will give them extra belief coming into this game where they’ve often dominated in the Premier League.
I however do feel that Sunderland have enough quality to grind out a draw because Leeds certainly won’t make this easy on their current form.
Prediction: Sunderland 1-1 Leeds
Result: Sunderland 1-1 Leeds