EFL pundit Adrian Clarke has shared his prediction for Leeds United’s trip to table-topping Sunderland in the Championship.
Leeds will be looking to become the first team to not only take a point off Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, but also score. The Black Cats have enjoyed a fine start to the campaign under former Leeds managerial target Regis Le Bris.
And Sunderland could not really have asked for a better time to play Leeds, who are coming into this one on the back of a long Tuesday night trip to Norwich City, and ravaged by injuries.
Leeds’ worst fears have been confirmed by the news Ilia Gruev is set for several months on the sidelines after suffering a significant knee injury at Carrow Road.
Gruev now joins Ethan Ampadu in facing a long spell out injured, with Max Wober, Manor Solomon and Dan James also set to miss out at the Stadium of Light.
- READ MORE: Predicted Leeds United XI to face Sunderland as Daniel Farke hands out yet another full league debut
Adrian Clarke predicts Sunderland vs Leeds
Jobe Bellingham still believes Leeds are the benchmark for Sunderland to aspire to, but it is hard to look beyond the home side as favourites here.
Up until Norwich, Ampadu and Gruev had started every single league game alongside one another in the Championship this season.
Clearly Daniel Farke viewed them two as his first choice pairing and with both now out, Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell are going to have to quickly gel together for such a tough match.
And on the latest episode of the ‘What The EFL Podcast‘, pundit Clarke believes losing Ampadu and Gruev in quick succession means the ‘cards have fallen quite kindly for Sunderland’, and so thinks they will just about take the three points.
He said: “Leeds are keeping teams at arms length very well, but without two solid midfield players, that might change moving forward. At the other end of the pitch pretty good, Largie Ramazani looks good in the absence of Solomon.
“It was a top draw finish from him, very crisp at Norwich. You’ve got Willy Gnonto who’s started the season on fire. Joseph up front is a great platform for them, but not scoring that many.
“I agree with Sam, low scoring game, but maybe the cards have fallen quite kindly for Sunderland. It wouldn’t surprise me if they nick this, the home team.”
Jobi McAnuff worried about Leeds after injury blows
Clarke is not the only pundit who is now concerned about Leeds after losing Ampadu and Gruev, but also Jobi McAnuff too.
McAnuff is intrigued to see how Leeds cope without their first choice pairing in the coming weeks and months, but is not overly confident they will be able to.
He said: “Yeah for sure, I think particularly in that midfield area which is obviously his preferred position and where he’s gone back into this season. With Gruev as well having gone off very early in the game, that is going to be a real area of concern at Leeds United.
“Obviously lost Kamara and Archie Gray in the summer, that is probably the one area where you look at that squad and feel if they were to get one or two, which they have got now, they are going to be really stretched. Really interesting to see how that plays out in the coming weeks.”
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