Sunderland vs Leeds – News and Probable Lineups

Sunderland, currently at the bottom of the table, will be eager to secure Premier League points this Sunday as they face Leeds United at the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats aim to break a streak of four consecutive losses in the Premier League, while the Whites are looking for their first victory in four matches.

Match overview

Under the management of Regis Le Bris, Sunderland had a remarkable 2025-26 season, achieving promotion from the Championship and finishing seventh, thus qualifying for the Europa League.

Nonetheless, this time around, the Black Cats have faced a poor start, currently sitting at 20th with merely four points from seven matches.

On Thursday, Le Bris’s team gave up their lead and settled for a 1-1 draw against Lech Poznan in the Europa League, marking just one win in their last five outings across all competitions, with three losses.

The last Premier League match saw Sunderland suffer a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth, a performance that led right-back Nordi Mukiele to suggest the team might have become overconfident following their previous successes.

Supporters hoping for a turnaround will be heartened by the fact that Sunderland has won three of their five home fixtures this season at the Stadium of Light, each accompanied by a clean sheet.

Conversely, Daniel Farke’s Leeds finished the previous season in 14th place but now aspire to break into the top five amid their visit to Sunderland.

As it stands, the Whites occupy seventh in the standings with 10 points, sitting two points behind fifth-place Liverpool, who are scheduled to face Brighton on Sunday.

With that goal in mind, Farke’s squad will be boosted by the fact they have lost only one of their last four matches, drawing 1-1 with Manchester United in their latest encounter.

However, it is worth noting that Leeds have only claimed victory in one of their last seven games across all competitions, with a 4-1 win against Newcastle United on September 14.

Furthermore, the visitors have managed only one away win in the Premier League this season, having conceded eight goals over their last two away matches combined.

Team News

Sunderland is likely to be missing striker Wilson Isidor once again, though Brian Brobbey, who did not feature against Lech Poznan, “should be ready for Leeds,” according to Le Bris.

Left winger Romaine Mundle remains unavailable due to a knee injury, but Trai Hume, Habib Diarra, and Enzo Le Fee are expected to support Brobbey in the attacking front.

Defensively, Dan Ballard is recovering from a hamstring injury, Kevin Danso is suspended following his dismissal against Bournemouth, and versatile full-back Thomas Meunier is also struggling with his own hamstring issue.

In their absence, Omar Alderete and Luke O’Nien are poised to fill the central defensive roles, flanked by Nordi Mukiele and Reinildo.

On the other hand, Leeds have several concerns in the forward positions, with striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin uncertain after sustaining a bruised foot. Questions linger over Anton Stach and Noah Okafor, as both are dealing with adductor problems.

Meanwhile, right-sided striker Mateo Joseph is undergoing rehabilitation from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, and speedster Dan James is doubtful with a back injury. This opens the door for Lukas Nmecha to potentially start on Sunday, aided by Harry Wilson and Brenden Aaronson.

Elsewhere, centre-back Joe Rodon is a few weeks away from making a return from his hamstring injury, but Tarik Muharemovic, Nico Elvedi, and James Justin will be prepared to start in Farke’s three-man defence.

Sunderland probable starting XI:

Roefs; Mukiele, O’Nien, Alderete, Reinildo; Sadiki, Xhaka; Hume, Diarra, Le Fee; Brobby

Leeds United probable starting XI:

Trafford; Muharemovic, Elvedi, Justin; Bogle, Ampadu, Tanaka, Gudmundsson; Wilson, Aaronson; Nmecha

Despite their struggles throughout the season thus far, Sunderland might be able to secure a point by drawing strength from their home crowd.

Leeds will be driven by the prospect of catching up to Liverpool this weekend and are likely to put in a spirited performance away from home.