Sunderland FC 0 Leeds United 0 – Blown Away. In a stadium that looked like it had the contents of the skip from the local supermarket swirling around it, it was the weather what won it, blowing away any chance either side of trying to play on the deck.
Daniel Farke has us sitting comfortably in 7th place on 11 points—twice as high as we ended up last season, sniffing around the European spots like we actually belong there. Meanwhile, Régis Le Bris’s Sunderland FC are propping up the entire division in 20th with a measly 5 points.
The Stadium of Light is one of the best atmospheres in the Premier League and not one we have form in. We can’t forget the night we dominated them up there in the Championship only for Illan Meslier to perform a piece of performance art that gifted them a 97th-minute 2-2 draw. More painfully, back in March of this year, they came to Elland Road in the Premier League and shithoused a 1-0 win out of us.
Farke was honest about not being able to train fully for this match, with Brenden Aaronson and the wand of a left foot belonging to Harry Wilson starting over a tired Okafor and Stach.
Despite spending enough money to buy a small European microstate on Nordi Mukiele, Reinildo, Enzo Le Fée, and Brian Brobbey, Sunderland still have Luke O’Nien starting at centre-half. He will undoubtedly spend the afternoon trying to piggyback Calvert-Lewin. Jaka Bijol and Tarik Muharemović made heavy weather of keeping Brian Brobbey quiet for an hour
After a quarter of an hour it can become clear how the match is going to pan out. After Leeds dominated early possession to no effect Sunderland grew into the game and kept it that way, Leeds happy for Trafford to hoof the ball up to DCL with a random chance he can chest it down to Aaronson. Brobbey kept Trafford the busier of the two keepers with the team behind him playing some skillful moves.
Farke wanted Leeds to fight for second balls but Sunderland out-muscled Leeds too many times, with Leeds limited to rare forays forward. Bogle was pivotal on the right creating chances for DCL, but DCL did not get a touch in the penalty box in the first half.
Whilst the referee was strict about thrown-ins he could not stop Trafford taking his own sweet time with rolling the ball out, this was a game we needed to win not play for a draw. After Sunderland lost a player early in the second half Leeds tried to take advantage and the game briefly opened up. But the lack of a marquee forward for Leeds was evident in how we rely on gettting the service into DCL. Sunderland needed to win this match to get out of the relegation zone and piled on the pressure in the second half. But Xhaka could not find a way conjure a free kick that Trafford had not covered.
It was a well earned point away for Leeds. Trafford the busier of the two keepers and a very late scramble in the penalty box that would have earned Leeds a lucky win. Longstaff’s late arrival nearly stole the show only a good save stopping him
It feels concerning that Leeds lack sufficient firepower but we are seventh with our run of draws, and a much needed clean sheet. Reasons to be cheerful. On a night the weather blew away the football this will not be a match we will remember.
Man of the match: Bogle continues to claim a place in the England squad with his attacking play.
