Football
Sunderland vs Leeds United Preview: Odds, Tips & Prediction
Date: Sunday, December 28 Venue: Stadium of Light Kick-off: 2pm GMT Sunderland will look to wrap up 2025 in style at home to Leeds United on Sunday, December 28. The Stadium of Light has been heartened by some encouraging performances by the Black Cats. They find themselves in the mix for a seat at Europe’s top table, and they are undefeated on their own patch in the Premier League this term. Leeds, meanwhile, are flourishing in the midst of a tough run, and Daniel Farke is starting to prove his doubters wrong. While this will be the first top-flight clash between Sunderland and Leeds in over 20 years, the best football betting sites won’t pass up the opportunity to flood their sites with pre-match betting odds. SportsBoom has canvassed prices from sportsbooks and shared some football strategies to bear in mind ahead of this encounter.
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Sunderland TIFO and Newcastle United /Getty Images
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability: Sunderland Shading It
Premier League betting sites offer the matchwinner market, and this is how things are shaping up for Sunderland vs Leeds:
Home: 37/25 (2.48) – 40.3%
Draw: 229/100 (3.29) – 30.4%
Away: 44/25 (2.76) – 36.2%
*Odds courtesy of Jeffbet, subject to change.
Head-to-Head Record
Premier League head-to-head records offer fascinating pre-match insights, and this is how top-flight meetings between Sunderland and Leeds have panned out:
Last Five Meetings (Premier League)
- 26/12/02: Sunderland 1-2 Leeds
- 28/08/02: Leeds 0-1 Sunderland
- 07/04/02: Leeds 2-0 Sunderland
- 18/11/01: Sunderland 2-0 Leeds
- 31/03/01: Sunderland 0-2 Leeds
Sunderland Current Form – WDLWD
Sunderland have been transformed under Regis Le Bris this term. Since taking over the reins 18 months ago, he’s transformed a side that had previously stagnated in the Championship, but after their promotion last season, Le Bris has made them a tough nut to break down.
A 1-0 win over bitter North East rivals Newcastle earlier this month was a highlight, and they have fared well against the big boys, gaining positive results against Liverpool and Arsenal (both draws).
The Black Cats have excelled at the Stadium of Light, and with the visit of Manchester City around the corner, they won’t want to relinquish their unbeaten home record just yet.
Key Players to Watch
- Granit Xhaka
Although known by many fans for his previous connections to Arsenal, Granit Xhaka, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen, has blossomed at Sunderland, and he’s been instrumental to the team’s early success this term. With four league assists to date, he could have a telling impact against Leeds. - Wilson Isidor
Although he’s made five substitute appearances this season, Wilson Isidor is strong in the air, quick, and he’s found the net four times, giving the Black Cats a clinical edge up front. Isidor is a slippery customer, and he will look to expose any gaps in Leeds’ defence. - Dan Ballard
Praised after the victory over Newcastle, Dan Ballard has barely put a foot wrong this term. He has dealt with virtually everything thrown at him, winning many of his aerial duels, so Leeds will need to be canny to catch him out.
Sunderland Team News
Although Sunderland will be bereft of five players due to the Africa Cup of Nations, Habib Diarra, who was an unused substitute against Brighton after recovering from a groin injury, could play some part against Leeds, albeit coming off the bench.
Leeds United Current Form – LWDDW
Before the start of the campaign, many Premier League sportsbooks were tipping Leeds as among the favourites to be relegated. However, Leeds are keeping their heads above water in 17th, and after a gruelling run of fixtures in terms of difficulty, they appear to be coping.
A comfortable 3-1 win over Chelsea and a draw with Liverpool, as well as a 4-1 drubbing of Crystal Palace last weekend means they can look ahead to 2026 with optimism.
While Farke has had his critics, his change in formation has worked well, and he’s bringing the best out of his players.
Key Players to Watch
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been on fire, netting in each of his past five league outings. The way he’s going, he could be an outside chance to get a call-up to the England World Cup squad next summer. - Willy Gnonto
While he’s been used as a substitute lately, Willy Gnonto has made an impact coming off the bench, making a nuisance of himself against Liverpool, and he contributed an assist against Brentford. Perhaps he could come into Farke’s thinking. - Ethan Ampadu
As captain, Ethan Ampadu has managed to keep spirits up, but he’s also injected some life into midfield, breaking up play, as well as supporting attacking transitions. He will have a crucial role to play against Sunderland.
Leeds United Team News
Sean Longstaff is still a few weeks away from a return to action, while Dan James isn’t expected to be back until the New Year.
Predicted Line-Ups
Sunderland (4-2-3-1)
Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Hume, Xhaka, Geertruida, Rigg, Le Fee, Adingra; Brobbery
Leeds (3-5-2)
Perri; Rondon, Bijol, Struijk, Bogle, Aaronson, Ampadu, Stach, Gudmundsson, Calvert-Lewin; Okafor
Suggested Bets
Premier League bookmakers will be stacked with odds, and here are some suggested football betting tips worth unlocking:
Sunderland to Score First: Leeds have fallen behind in their last two league games, and given the roar that will greet Sunderland, they could take the lead. (1/1 with 10bet).
Over 2.5 goals: Although the previous two meetings between these sides were in the Championship, Over 2.5 goals was comfortably fulfilled, so we’re tempted by this line. (21/20 with QuinnBet)
Both Teams to Score: Apart from a goalless draw two years ago, these sides haven’t struggled to find the net, so the BTTS market is a good shout. (4/5 with Bet442)
Value Bets
To Score or Assist Anytime – Granit Xhaka: The Swiss midfielder has been laying on assists regularly, but he’s also got a thunderbolt of a strike, so this line is worth exploring. (23/10 with Leovegas)
Dominic Calvert-Lewin Over 1.5 Shots on Target: Calvert-Lewin has been in a rich vein of form, and he could test the Sunderland goalkeeper, so Over 1.5 shots target isn’t too ambitious. (12/5 with BetMGM)
Sunderland & BTTS: Having referenced the BTTS market, Sunderland have won two and drawn once of their past three domestic clashes with Leeds, so this line has value. (17/4 with Unibet)
Prediction: Sunderland to Win & Both Teams to Score
Sunderland have flourished this season, and it seems the sky is the limit. There is a real sense of purpose and togetherness, and while Leeds haven’t been pushovers lately, it’s hard to see them getting anything out of this game. The Black Cats will want to keep their unbeaten home record going a little longer, and this match could be entertaining. It could be one where Sunderland prevail, and the BTTS line is met.
Charles Perrin has spent over six years writing about sports betting, working with some of the UK’s top sportsbooks, including bet365 and William Hill.
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