Martin Wanless predicts…
Score prediction: Sunderland 2 Leeds 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Brian Brobbey
Leeds have been in good form recently, especially at home, but so have we – and we’ll be targeting this game as one from
which we can get another three points to add to our already impressive total.
Despite being without our AFCON bunch, we’ve still got a very strong team, and a raucous home crowd should see us preserve our unbeaten stadium of light record this season.
‘The Champion’ Malc Dugdale predicts…
Score prediction: Sunderland 2 Leeds 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Omar Alderete
Leeds have been decent of late, so this probably is a poor time to play them from our perspective, but we are very solid at home, and the sell-out home crowd are now the 12th man. I witnessed many times back at Roker Park, which makes a hell of a difference.
Brentford had to settle for a draw when Leeds visited them two weeks ago, but I think we will go one better and pinch this by the odd goal. Leeds’ form isn’t great on the road compared to how strong it is in general, which we hope will continue today.
Omar is due a goal after several close changes, though both strikers will be keen to notch with the window about to open and our scoring streak far from ideal.
A narrow win for us is the call for me, and Omar opening our account with a thundering header.
A nice seven-point gap over the unwashed for the start of 2026, too. Beautiful.
Jack Howe-Gingell predicts…
Score prediction: Sunderland 2 Leeds 0
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Granit Xhaka
A classic fixture amongst all the festivities is just what we’re all looking for. We have plenty of history with Leeds, so it should be a fun match, as well as an opportunity to banish the “we finished miles ahead” of you rubbish, which is all but dispelled after our amazing first half of the season.
I felt we coped well away at Brighton after our AFCON departures, looking the stronger side for the majority despite losing pivotal figures in Sadiki and Reinildo.
Leeds are not as good a side as Brighton and also have the disadvantage of coming to the Fortress of Light, where we have really excelled.
I think our position compared to our goals for/against will sum up this game. We don’t score as many as those in the top ten, but we are a steel trap defensively, and I think Leeds will struggle to find a way through that.
Captain Xhaka to lead us to our final win of the calendar against Leeds.
Will Jones predicts…
Score prediction: Sunderland 1 Leeds 0
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Granit Xhaka
One more push before the new year.
Leeds come into this full of confidence, scoring goals and looking like they’ve found some rhythm again. They’ll back themselves to cause problems, and we’ll definitely have to be on it from the first minute. But home is where we’ve been strongest, and the Stadium of Light has become a proper place to play again.
What stands out with this side is how composed we are. We don’t lose our heads, we don’t give silly goals away, and we stay in games even when momentum swings. That’s going to matter against a team who like to attack in waves.
I don’t see this being open or free-flowing. It feels like one of those games where space is limited, and chances are earned rather than gifted. If we stay patient and keep our discipline, frustration could start to build for them.
We won’t need much at the other end. A set piece or a loose ball on the edge of the box might be enough – and if it falls to Xhaka, you’d back him to make it count.
Matty Foster predicts…
Score prediction: Sunderland 1 Leeds 0
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Wilson Isidor
All I want for Christmas is a Sunderland home win.
Leeds will be coming into this in a buoyant mood, given they’re unbeaten in four games, scoring eleven goals.
Their away form, however, is horrendous. One win from eight on the road, and that came against Wolves in September.
Unbeaten at home vs awful away. In years gone by, we would all know what to expect.
But this team, this manager, isn’t like that. They’re made of far sterner stuff.
I feel another defensive masterclass from our boys at the back, and us nicking a late goal to snatch all three points..
Anthony Gair predicts…
Score prediction: Sunderland 2 Leeds 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Brian Brobbey
In this, the most festive of times, I need to find solace in football after all of the food I’ve eaten has driven me delirious.
As it stands, I like the way Leeds play, and they’re not to be sniffed at when they visit on Sunday. Since they went two up top, or at least had someone up there alongside Calvert-Lewin, they’ve been capable of scoring every time they attack.
Obviously, big Dan Ballard will have something to say about it and will put in a performance akin to that of prime Jaap Stam.
I think we’ll nick it, but I don’t think it’s as straightforward as I want it to be.
Granit will have one of the best games he’s had for us in this, though. They leave huge gaps in the middle, and Sadiki would have been perfect for this one.
Gary Winter predicts…
Score prediction: Sunderland 1 Leeds 0
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Omar Alderete
Matches around the Christmas period can often generate some peculiar results, so I’m hoping the Lads haven’t tucked into too many mince pies, or spent more than the one evening session at Ally Pally!
Leeds have had a great December with 2 wins, 2 draws and 11 goals scored – a month that included games against Chelsea and Liverpool. Three of those games were at home, though, where they are particularly strong. With our home record and in front of a packed-out stadium, in good spirits for this festive fixture, I think we can edge a tight contest.
I was encouraged by what I saw away at Brighton in our first look at the AFCON-less lineup, and I’m expecting us to once again keep things extremely tight. Goals aren’t coming easy to us, and I’m going for an outside bet as first goalscorer in Omar Alderete, likely from a set piece, and that will hopefully settle it.
Brett Lyons-Davis predicts…
Score prediction: Sunderland 2 Leeds 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Big Dan Ballard
Leeds have turned a corner of late, beating Chelsea and Palace and drawing with Liverpool and Brentford, scoring 11 goals in the process.
Our defence needs to be on point for this one. Thankfully, we are in the top 6 of the clean sheet stats, seeing as we’ve only scored the same amount of goals as West Ham and Burnley.
However, the above is just me padding out my bit and making it look like I’ve researched some stats.
Sunderland win 2-1 and sign off an amazing 2025 in style – I’m coming up for it, and I can’t wait.
HA’ WAY THE LADS!
Last Time Out…
The lads ground out a creditable draw against Brighton at The Amex before the visit of Santa, carrying on the points tick over which we need to secure our Premier League berth as soon as we can.
Omar, Romaine and Dan Ballard all came close, but to be fair, if Brighton’s players could keep the ball down for the shots they created, several more saves would have been needed by Roefs too.
A respectable draw with sort of a dominant half or so each meant for me the shared points was the right outcome.
Last Game Predictions…
Only three of the lads went for a draw, but we see our first 4 pointer for some time come in for Gary, accurately calling last shown on Match of the Day due to the 0-0, as it was.
A point each for Martin and Will gives them a wee boost ahead of Leeds and the new year fixtures too.
Predictions Table & Standings
The table approaches the end of 2025 with a very tight situation for all, barring our mate Gair.
3 points separate top and 7th, with a gap then opened up down to Gair, who is yet to make double figures.
When one of his outlandish predictions comes in, which it surely will one time soon, we could have a proper tight table top to bottom.
How the points are awarded
Just a quick reminder of how we allocate points to our match-by-match predictions:
- Correct score = Three points
- Correct outcome (but not correct score) = One point
- Correct first Sunderland goalscorer = One point (no goalscorer is a valid call)
- Possible deductions for being lazy and not submitting on time = a two-point deduction.
