Championship: Sunderland vs Leeds United

The final Championship round before yet another international break is upon us, and there's plenty to look forward to. The highlights include Friday’s top match in Sunderland and Saturday's clash between last season’s two Premier League clubs, Sheffield United and Luton. The Blades remain the only unbeaten team in the Championship, while Luton has struggled significantly this season.

There's also a battle between newly promoted teams as Portsmouth takes on Oxford at home, seeking their first win of the season. Pompey not only remains winless but also has a lot to make up for after the embarrassing 6-1 midweek loss to Stoke. Oxford, on the other hand, has impressed greatly in the early stages of the season.

Back on Top

Two wins in their last three matches have put Sunderland back at the top of the Championship table. A serious test awaits on Saturday when the biggest promotion favorite arrives at the Stadium of Light in a fight for points. The home side's confidence in front of their own fans is sky-high.

On Wednesday, Derby County was sent home empty-handed as Jobe Bellingham’s first goal of the season helped secure a 2-0 win that brought Sunderland back to the top of the table. The Black Cats have now won all four of their home games, with a total goal tally of 8-0.

“It was another tight, hard-fought match, and scoring the first goal is crucial. These were important three points, and I'm very pleased with the team's discipline. However, we can still work on keeping the ball better, as it sometimes gets a bit chaotic,” said manager Regis Le Bris to the local press after the win against The Rams.

Deserved Point

Leeds have only lost to Burnley, a fellow Premier League team from last season, but three draws mean they still have four teams ahead of them in the standings. Most recently, they had to settle for a point in the midweek 1-1 draw against Norwich at Carrow Road, where Norwich has now gone 19 consecutive league games without defeat.

“It was two teams in good form, putting on a great advertisement for the league. We played a very strong team, but we got a deserved point,” said Leeds boss Daniel Farke to the press after the game.

A tight contest against Norwich, and Saturday's game at the Stadium of Light is expected to be just as tough.

Sunderland vs Leeds

Stadium of Light, Friday 9:00 PM

None of the last six meetings between these two teams have seen more than two goals, and the last Championship doubleheader ended with a 1-0 win for Sunderland at home, followed by a goalless draw at Elland Road. Sunderland will be without Ian Poveda, Niall Huggins, Aji Alese, and Jenson Seelt and is expected to start with the same lineup as against Derby County.

Daniel Farke and Leeds are missing Ilia Gruev, Daniel James, Ethan Ampadu, Manor Solomon, and Maximilian Wöber. Tonight, we might see a change in the forward lineup for the visitors. Mateo Joseph has started the last four games but is yet to score. Joel Piroe and Patrick Bamford are both ready to step in.

Betting

Sunderland has won all four of their home games, with a total goal tally of 8-0. The odds favor a home win, so we suggest playing H/Draw no Bet, meaning the bet is refunded in case of a draw.

Championship Round

Friday 9:00 PM
Sunderland – Leeds

Saturday 1:30 PM
Burnley – Preston
Norwich – Hull
Portsmouth – Oxford

Saturday 4:00 PM
Coventry – Sheffield Wednesday
Derby – QPR
Plymouth – Blackburn
Swansea – Stoke
Watford – Middlesbrough
West Brom – Millwall
Sheffield United – Luton

Sunday 4:00 PM
Bristol City – Cardiff