Leeds United getting what transfer chiefs could not guarantee — Graham Smyth's Sunderland Verdict — YEP 29/12/25
By Graham Smyth
The Verdict on Leeds United’s 1-1 draw at Sunderland is in.
Leeds United and Dominic Calvert-Lewin are displaying
something that the summer recruitment looked for but could never guarantee.
Had someone told Leeds' transfer chiefs that Calvert-Lewin
would score eight goals in the 2025/26 season they might have been a little
disappointed. But only a little.
Double figures was surely a best-case realistic estimate if
he stayed fit for the entirety. So the fact that he already has eight and the
season is not yet at its halfway mark is only to be celebrated.
The goals he is scoring - seven of which have come in the
last six games - are marking him out as reliable. That thing all newly-promoted
teams need from a goalscorer if they want to even stand a chance of staying up.
The goals he is scoring - all of which have come from the
central area bang in front of the goalkeeper - are absolutely vital.
But that is only because they reward the performances he and
his team-mates are stringing together. The relegation hall of shame has more
than enough examples of goalscoring strikers who went down because the goals
were not backed up elsewhere on the pitch.
Fortunately, or perhaps deservedly is a fairer word to use,
Calvert-Lewin as an individual and Leeds as a collective are showing themselves
to be reliable. Consistent even.
Unpredictable in terms of the system and approach but more
and more, Farke, the board and fans know what they can expect from these
players in terms of performance levels.
A point at Sunderland, a result no one in the Premier League
will sniff at, was further evidence of Leeds giving themselves a real chance of
bucking the recent grim yo-yo trend for newly-promoted clubs.
And what made it all the more satisfying was it yet again
displayed the character required to come from behind.
Sunderland started on the front foot with a long throw,
deflected shot and a corner inside the opening 80 seconds. Another long throw
followed as Simon Adingra exerted early influence on the left.
It wasn't until Leeds broke from a free-kick into their area
and Noah Okafor won a foul on halfway that the visitors really got a foot on
the ball and settled things down.
Yet even with plenty of possession Leeds failed to look
comfortable. Sunderland's pressure disrupted the rhythm and if nothing else
left a mark on Joe Rodon, Brian Brobbey catching the defender late and turning
his ankle.
The first time Leeds played forward with any fluidity they
created the first real chance. Anton Stach had the final shot but failed to get
any power on it.
With no Dan Ballard for Sunderland there was always going to
be the potential for joy from set-pieces and Leeds should have taken the lead
from one. An Ethan Ampadu long throw was controlled by Calvert-Lewin, touched
on by Pascal Struijk and Okafor's shot was deflected over.
By the midway mark of the half Leeds were operating more
comfortably, albeit without hitting their recent high standards, but everything
changed in the blink of an eye.
One second they were on the ball, with Rodon, the next he
was down again after another questionable challenge. This one bent his leg
horribly and though he tried to soldier on he was visibly struggling.
Sunderland won a throw in, Leeds half cleared it but
Ampadu's poor touch gave it away and the ball was played inside Jayden Bogle
for Adingra who curled into the far corner. Rodon was close to the attacker but
unable to get there. And before the game restarted he was withdrawn. On came Ao
Tanaka and Leeds switched to a back four.
The response, in a new shape, was promising. Jaka Bijol
clipped a ball into the area, Calvert-Lewin brilliantly found Brenden Aaronson
and he did so well until the finish, Trai Hume coming up big for the hosts with
a goalline clearance.
The Ulsterman was struggling to contain Okafor however and
watched with relief as Leeds' winger curled wide of the far post after spinning
away easily from his marker. Aaronson's cross flashed through the box as Leeds
continued to press for an equaliser.
Yet as bright as Leeds looked going forward, they were
shakier at the back in the latter stages of the half and twice got away with
it. A ball dinked into the right channel put Brobbey in on goal and though
Lucas Perri did not react as quickly as he could have, he did enough to put the
striker off and let Bijol clear. Moments later it was the crossbar keeping
Leeds in it as Brobbey rose above Struijk at the back post to head against the
woodwork.
There were moments in the first half when Leeds took the
safe option. They started the second half by showing serious bravery in
possession, taking risks even and it led to one of the team goals of the
season.
There were moments during a move that started from Perri at
the back when they could have sent it long to relieve pressure. Instead they
picked passes. Found feet. Backed one another's ability to deal with the press.
Perri found Struijk, he passed it down the line and Okafor's
flick inside was swept to the right by Stach. Aaronson slid the perfect pass
into Calvert-Lewin's office and he did the business again, adding a cool finish
to a goal of Premier League quality.
Leeds very nearly followed it up, too. Had Bogle been able
to angle his body a little differently it would have been 2-1 but as it was he
turned Aaronson's flick on past the far post with Robin Roefs beaten.
Aaronson was suddenly involved in everything and twice had
the chance to add a goal to his assist. Both shots summed up his perennial
finishing issue - the first not making it to goal through a crowd and the
second sailing harmlessly over. But they also signalled that Leeds were not
only dominant but dangerous.
At one stage in the second half there was a blue ring camped
high up the pitch laying siege to the Sunderland area. The home fans were
baying for a clearance as Leeds pressed and pressed. When eventually the ball
was made safe by Roefs there was a huge measure of relief in the roar around
the Stadium of Light.
Leeds could not sustain their dominance right to the end.
Sunderland remembered that they are unbeaten at home this season and put a late
spell of pressure together but were held out with solid, sensible defending.
Gabriel Gudmundsson, so often a weapon of Leeds' offence,
came to the fore with a couple of important bits of defending. Making good
decisions on and off the ball. Being reliable. And the final whistle split the
points.
After the game Farke admitted to mixed emotions because
three points were definitely on the table in that second half. And that in
itself is worth credit because few come away from Sunderland having got the
better of its footballing inhabitants.
Once more the German changed a game when it needed to be
changed. He's been doing that pretty reliably of late.
