Premier League Regular Season - 29
Leeds 0 - 1 FT Sunderland
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
L. O'Nien 45'+2
HT
↓ E. Mayenda ↑W. Isidor 55'
↓ L. Geertruida ↑G. Xhaka 56'
H. Diarra 58'
62' ↓ I. Gruev ↑L. Nmecha
O. Alderete 63'
64' J. Rodon
H. Diarra 70'
74' ↓ J. Justin ↑D. James
74' ↓ B. Aaronson ↑W. Gnonto
84' ↓ J. Bogle ↑J. Piroe
84' ↓ G. Gudmundsson ↑J. Bijol
↓ N. Angulo ↑B. Traore 88'
90' W. Gnonto
↓ B. Traore ↑C. Rigg 90'+5
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Leeds
Goalkeepers
Karl Darlow 
MAGNET
51
Activity
51
Activity
51
Passes
0
Duels
Defenders
James Justin 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
50%
Duel Win %
Joe Rodon 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
101
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Pascal Struijk
MAGNET
97
Activity
97
Activity
92
Passes
5
Duels
Gabriel Gudmundsson 
PROVOCATEUR
5
Fouls Won
5
Fouls Won
6
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Midfielders
Jayden Bogle 
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Anton Stach 
ENFORCER
6
Tackles
6
Tackles
12
Duels Won
71%
Win %
Ethan Ampadu 
FRIENDLY FIRE
Pen Given
Mistake
Pen Given
Mistake
2
Fouls
7
Rating
Ilia Gruev
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
62
Total Mins
62
Entry
Brenden Aaronson
PROVOCATEUR
4
Fouls Won
4
Fouls Won
7
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Forwards
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
PROVOCATEUR
4
Fouls Won
4
Fouls Won
7
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
BENCH
Lucas Perri 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Jaka Bijol
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Sebastiaan Bornauw
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ao Tanaka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Sean Longstaff
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Daniel James
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
27
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Lukas Nmecha
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
39
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Wilfried Gnonto
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
27
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Joël Piroe
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
17
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Sunderland
Goalkeepers
Melker Ellborg
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
101
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Luke O'Nien
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
101
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Daniel Ballard
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
44%
Duel Win %
Omar Alderete 
SHIELD
4
Blocks
4
Blocks
0
Interceptions
1
Tackles
Trai Hume
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
6
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Midfielders
Lutsharel Geertruida
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
56
Total Mins
56
Entry
Noah Sadiki
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
101
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Nilson Angulo 
NPC
88
Minutes
88
Minutes
3%
Pass Acc
6.6
Rating
Habib Diarra 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
Enzo Le Fée
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
101
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Forwards
Eliezer Mayenda
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
55
Total Mins
55
Entry
BENCH
Simon Moore
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Jenson Jones
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Granit Xhaka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Milan Aleksić
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Chris Rigg
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
6
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Harrison Jones
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Wilson Isidor
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
46
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Chemsdine Talbi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Bertrand Traoré 
CAMEO
7
Minutes
7
Minutes
3
Touches
None
Events
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28/12/2025 | Sunderland | 1 - 1 | Leeds | Premier League | Stadium of Light |
| 17/02/2025 | Leeds | 2 - 1 | Sunderland | Championship | Elland Road |
| 04/10/2024 | Sunderland | 2 - 2 | Leeds | Championship | Stadium of Light |
| 09/04/2024 | Leeds | 0 - 0 | Sunderland | Championship | Elland Road |
| 12/12/2023 | Sunderland | 1 - 0 | Leeds | Championship | Stadium of Light |
| 07/04/2018 | Leeds | 1 - 1 | Sunderland | Championship | Elland Road |
| 19/08/2017 | Sunderland | 0 - 2 | Leeds | Championship | Stadium of Light |
| 04/01/2015 | Sunderland | 1 - 0 | Leeds | FA Cup | Stadium of Light |
28/12/2025
17/02/2025
04/10/2024
09/04/2024
12/12/2023
07/04/2018
19/08/2017
04/01/2015
Leeds Win
Sunderland Win
Draw
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
The Great Elland Road Heist
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 36/100. A masterclass in defensive resilience saw Sunderland snatch a victory that Leeds will feel they deserved three times over.
The Siege of Elland Road
From the first exchanges, Leeds established a stranglehold on this contest that they simply refused to let go. The home side dominated possession with a staggering 70% share of the ball, turning the pitch into a one-way street toward the Black Cats' goal. The Intensity was palpable as the Elland Road faithful roared their side forward, witnessing a barrage of 14 shots that tested the visitors' resolve at every turn. Despite the constant pressure and eight corners won by the hosts, the breakthrough remained elusive. Sunderland looked content to sit deep, absorbing wave after wave of attack while waiting for a singular moment to strike. It was a tactical gamble that felt increasingly risky as the first half finished with the visitors barely registering a touch in the opposition box.
The Pivot: VAR Heartbreak and a Clinical Spot-Kick
The match swung on a chaotic six-minute sequence that left the home support fuming. In the 64th minute, J. Rodon thought he had finally shattered the deadlock, only for a lengthy VAR review to chalk the goal off for offside. That moment sucked the air out of the stadium and shifted the Balance of emotional momentum entirely. Just as the hosts were regrouping from that disappointment, disaster struck at the other end. Against the absolute run of play, a rare Sunderland foray into the area resulted in a penalty. H. Diarra stepped up in the 70th minute with ice in his veins, slotting home what would remarkably be his team's only shot on target of the entire match. It was a clinical execution that turned the afternoon on its head.
The Resolution: A Massive Upset Factor
The closing stages were a frantic display of desperate attacking from the hosts, but the final whistle confirmed a result that defied the statistical narrative. With a significant Upset Factor, Sunderland escaped with all three points despite being out-shot nearly five-to-one. For Leeds, this is a bitter pill to swallow; their lack of a killer instinct in the final third has seen them slip further into mid-table mediocrity. Conversely, the visitors climb the ladder, proving that grit often trumps style in the Premier League. The Stakes were high for both sides looking to find consistency, but it is the Wearside club who leave Yorkshire with the ultimate smash-and-grab victory, leaving the Elland Road crowd wondering how a game they dominated so completely resulted in a zero-point return.
Key Questions
Why was J. Rodon's goal disallowed?
J. Rodon had his 64th-minute effort ruled out by VAR for an offside infringement during the build-up.
How did H. Diarra score the winner?
H. Diarra converted a 70th-minute penalty, which was Sunderland's only shot on target during the match.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Elland Road hosts a mid-table crossroads
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 41/100. Leeds look to exploit a crumbling Sunderland side in a match where pride outweighs the points.
The Setup
As we head into March 03, 2026, both clubs find themselves drifting in the Premier League standings. Leeds sits in 15th, while Sunderland holds 12th. On paper, the Balance suggests a tight affair, but the momentum is heavily skewed. Sunderland arrives at Elland Road in a total tailspin, having dropped four of their last five matches. Meanwhile, Leeds has become the league's draw specialists, showing a Form that is stable but lacking a killer instinct. Because the Stakes are remarkably low for this stage of the season, don't expect a cagey tactical masterclass; expect both sides to play with the handbrake off.
Key Battle
The game will be won or lost in the transition. Without a dominant individual duel highlighted, the focus shifts to the Leeds midfield unit against the Sunderland backline. The home side excels at ball retention through players like F. Buonanotte, looking to pull a demoralized Sunderland defense out of position. Sunderland will rely on the raw pace of S. Adingra to spark life into their counter-attacks, but they must find a way to stop the supply line from the Leeds deep-lying playmakers first.
Our Prediction
Our take is that Leeds will finally convert their possession into goals. Sunderland’s defensive organization has looked porous during their recent losing streak, and the Elland Road crowd will sense blood early. We expect N. Okafor to find space behind the center-backs while Anton Stach dictates the rhythm from the circle. Leeds should take this comfortably as the visitors struggle to find their rhythm. A 2-0 victory for the Whites seems the most likely outcome as they leverage their superior Stars power.