Sunderland and Leeds can both turn a disrupted first pass into an immediate attack. Leeds have the rest and wingback width to press high, while Sunderland can build through Xhaka and Sadiki or play directly into a centre-forward. The first defensive possession after either side creates a chance will matter as much as territory. Their recent games also show a gap between box entries and clean finishing.
Leeds' Bogle and Gudmundsson can stretch Sunderland's reshaped defence, but the attacking chain that helped Leeds against Manchester United has fresh doubts: Stach, Okafor and Calvert-Lewin all started that game. Sunderland's European side was partly rotated yet still reached the box repeatedly, and Brobbey is expected back to give the first forward pass a stronger hold-up target. Ballard is out and Danso is suspended, so O'Nien and Alderete must still deal with Leeds' early pressure; Xhaka, Sadiki and Le Fee give Sunderland a route out of it. I expect the home side's restored supply to have more telling moments, so I'm siding with Sunderland.
