In just 25 days time, the EFL Champions season will come to an end.
Of the three contenders, one will be crowned champions, another will join them in the promised land, while the third will enter the lottery that is the play-offs; which of those outcome will be bestowed upon Leeds United?
Following defeat to Coventry City on Saturday, their first loss of 2024, Leeds United are under enormous pressure to bounce back.
Daniel Farke’s team were unbeaten in 15 EFL Championship matches, winning 13 of them, form that had propelled the Whites not only back into contention but to the very top of the table.
However, at the weekend, they suffered a serious set-back, defeated 2-1 at the Coventry Building Society Arena, with Joël Piroe’s goal coming too late to spark a comeback.
This saw Leeds slide out of the automatic promotion places, a point below Ipswich, who were also beaten in the Old Farm at the weekend, and two adrift leaders Leicester, who have a game in hand on both.
After this, the Whites’ remaining fixtures are Blackburn (H), Middlesbrough (A), Queens Park Rangers (A) and Southampton (H) and that’s where they hope their campaign will conclude.
Supporters will feel all five of these games are must-win, starting here.
Sunderland meantime, as a newly-promoted club, featured in the play-offs just last season, denied a place at Wembley by Luton Town, ousted 3-2 on aggregate.
This time round, the Black Cats have endured a significantly tougher campaign, down in 13th, mathematically out of top six contention.
Tony Mowbray was controversially sacked in December before Michael Beale lasted just 12 games as manager, winning only four, meaning Mike Dodds has been in interim charge since mid-February.
At the weekend, Sunderland were held to a goalless draw by Bristol City at the Stadium of Light, meaning they’ve won only one of their last ten, this a victory over a generally dismal Cardiff on Good Friday.
However, in the reverse fixture in December, the Black Cats beat Leeds 1-0 on Wearside, with Jobe Bellingham the late match-winner.
Also, Sunderland are unbeaten in four visits to Elland Road, winning three of them, so will they complete a first league-double over Leeds since 2006/07, or can the Whites reignite their promotion push?
Leeds United to win and both teams to score
It is exactly 22 years and two days since Leeds’ last win over Sunderland at Elland Road, a 2-0 Premier League victory, with Robbie Keane amongst the scorers for a team that also featured Jonathan Woodgate, Robbie Fowler and Mark Viduka.
However, given that Leeds have won nine on the spin at home, while Sunderland have lost four of their last five away, we do expect that fact to change.
In terms of both teams to score, this has been the case in each of the Whites’ last four matches in league and cup, occurring in 51.1% of their fixtures under Daniel Farke.
Meantime, both teams have scored in 21 of the Black Cats’ 43 fixtures this season (48.8%).
Crysencio Summerville to score anytime
Crysencio Summerville scored on both Good Friday and Easter Monday, curling home a stunner at Watford before bagging a late winner against Hull eight nights ago.
This has taken the Dutch winger’s taking to 18 goals this season, 12 of which have come at Elland Road, hence why we’re forecasting he’ll add to both tallies.
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