Sunderland (A): Preview

It is another away match for our team tonight. After Saturday’s match at Blackburn they have had Sunday and Monday as non-match days, certainly “a quick turn around”, a phrase often used by Daniel Farke. Leeds had an excellent victory at Blackburn on Saturday and tonight we can expect another difficult game. Fortunately the two games involve relatively short journeys which eases the task considerably.

Sunderland have had a very inconsistent season so far, like the majority of teams in the Championship, they win as many games as they lose but it was still a big surprise to see them sack their manager, Tony Mowbray, considering they are 6th in the league and in a playoff position, and surprising that they are still managerless. Mowbray seemed to be doing a good job and last season they were close to promotion, losing to Luton in the playoffs. Mowbray must have been instrumental in resurrecting Jack Clarke’s career, he was sliding to obscurity following his big money move to Spurs. He was a fantastic talent when he burst on the scene at Elland Road under Bielsa and now is probably Sunderland’s best player.

It will be a big night for Sunderland in the Stadium of Light and this will be one of the biggest tests away from home for Leeds this season in what should be a raucous atmosphere and a crowd that will be close to the 48,000 capacity. Sunderland were Leeds’s fiercest rivals in the second division days of the Don Revie era, both teams were promoted in 1964 and Leeds fans of my age are still bitter after the mighty Leeds United shockingly lost in the Cup Final to the second division Wearsiders in 1973, the biggest surprise at that point in time in football history. Sunderland haven’t done much since then and their fans are still hoping their team will one day be like their local rivals and ‘do a Newcastle’.

Farke will have his team up for it tonight…he sounds in his press conferences like a great motivator and will have Leeds United ‘at it’ in “the most important game of the season”. Leeds will be without the injured San Byram and with Shack and Flipping Firpo unawhaleable it looks nailed on for DJ Ed to make his full debut at left back. I will have the honour of the great author watching the game with me tonight on Sky. He will have the freedom to behave like he does in the Kop, away from his home with baby author fast asleep on his mattress. Leeds should win again if they play to form but I will again be on schpilkies as it is all about finishing in the top two. This is great but not enjoyable, but this is how I like it.

By David Dean