Sunderland v Leeds preview: kick-off time, team news and form
Leeds United head to the North East this weekend as Daniel Farke's side take on Sunderland in the Premier League at the Stadium of Light, with kick-off set for Sunday 25th October at 4.30pm.
There's plenty at stake for both clubs, albeit from very different ends of the table. Leeds currently sit 8th, while Sunderland prop up the division, so the Whites will fancy their chances of claiming a result that would help them kick on in the race for a top-half finish, while the hosts will be desperate for anything that eases their relegation worries.
Form tells a contrasting story. Sunderland's last five in the Premier League reads DLLLL, a run that leaves them bottom of the pile and short on confidence. Leeds, by contrast, go into the game on DWDLD in the league, a sequence that includes a comfortable win over Newcastle but also a narrow defeat to Arsenal and a draw with Manchester United most recently, so there's a sense of Farke's side being solid without quite hitting top gear.
Team news is the big talking point ahead of this one. LeedsLive reports that Leeds have been hit with an injury "hammer blow" with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Noah Okafor and Anton Stach all rated as "major doubts" for the trip to Wearside (LeedsLive), a update also confirmed by Farke himself according to LeedsUnited.com (LeedsUnited.com). The Yorkshire Evening Post describes it as a triple blow and says the latest injury news leaves five players out and five more as doubts for the Whites (Yorkshire Evening Post) (Yorkshire Evening Post). LeedsLive suggests this leaves Leeds facing a pressure test to prove their squad depth against a Sunderland side sitting bottom of the table (LeedsLive), with a reshuffled front three tipped to fill in for the injured trio (LeedsLive). The Yorkshire Evening Post has also run an updated predicted line-up reflecting Farke's decision on Calvert-Lewin (Yorkshire Evening Post).
On the Sunderland side, LeedsUnited.com has been looking at the hosts' form and key stats ahead of the game (LeedsUnited.com) (LeedsUnited.com), while defender Trai Hume has given his own "frank" assessment of the challenge Leeds will pose, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post (Yorkshire Evening Post). Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has also made a declaration about Leeds and offered his prediction for the game (Yorkshire Evening Post). Farke, meanwhile, has given his own assessment of a Sunderland "handful" and flagged a trap he wants his side to avoid at the Stadium of Light, as detailed by LeedsUnited.com (LeedsUnited.com).
Pundits are split on the outcome. The Yorkshire Evening Post reports that Chris Sutton and Alan Shearer disagree on their predictions, with talk of Leeds going home "empty-handed" against that view that they "need a reaction" (Yorkshire Evening Post), while LeedsLive notes a separate call suggesting Leeds "won't be leaving Sunderland empty-handed" (LeedsLive).
Fans heading to the Stadium of Light should also note the Yorkshire Evening Post's reminder about an advanced search policy and prohibited items list in place for the match (Yorkshire Evening Post), and those watching from home can check the same publication's coverage details for how to follow the game on TV (Yorkshire Evening Post).
You can follow all the action from the Stadium of Light from kick-off at 4.30pm on Sunday 25th October.
Written with the help of AI, using the match facts and the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.