Leeds United v Sunderland: Championship – live

53 min: Rigg, who has been quiet so far with the ball but busy in defence, hassling and hurrying his opponents, breaks clear, nutmegs Tanaka in midfield and wins a free-kick off Firpo to relieve the Leeds pressure.

51 min: Penalty shout for Leeds! Solomon overhits a cross into the Sunderland box. Tanaka is lurking at the back post but never seriously going to reach the cross. Nevertheless, Cirkin takes a huge risk in holding Tanaka’s shirt inside Sunderland area and eventually wrestling the Leeds midfielder to the ground. The referee waves play on, but I can imagine that with a better cross, with Tanaka more likely to actually reach the ball, that may well have been given.

49 min: A delay in play as Isidor crouches down to do up his boot lace. The Sunderland striker is roundly booed by the home faithful.

46 min: Just as they did in the first half, Sunderland fly out of the traps and instantly create an opening. Roberts lifts a clever ball through to the underlapping Hume, who volleys at goal. The shot is held by Meslier. That is five shots on target for Sunderland, to Leeds’ one.

Peeeeeeeeeep!

Half-time reading:

Half-time: Leeds 0-1 Sunderland

45+4 min: A half-chance for Leeds, as 5ft7in James wins a back-post header (!) into a dangerous area, but O’Nien is well positioned to hack the ball away.

45+3 min: From the resulting free-kick, Roberts crosses and Isidor’s header is saved by Meslier. As the Leeds goalkeeper gathers, there are a few handbags, with O’Nien and Isidor clashing with both Meslier and Rodon. Isidor is the latest into the referee’s book.

45+2 min: Le Fée releases Bellingham with the cutest of flicks and Bogle, almost affronted by the skill, upends Bellingham as he canters down the left wing. Bogle is rightfully booked.

45 min: Four minutes added on.

42 min: Daniel James looks the most likely to get Leeds back into this game. But after taking a promising position on the left wing, he cuts inside and curls a fairly weak shot at Patterson.

40 min: This has turned into a scrappy game, which will suit Sunderland just fine. Cirkin leaves Bogle in a heap. Aaronson is again clumsy in midfield. Hmmmm.

38 min: I haven’t watched a lot of Jobe Bellingham live, but it really is unerring how similar he is to his brother in terms of running style and mannerisms with the ball. Perhaps that’s an obvious point to make, and unsurprising, given the fact they are, you know, the same flesh and blood. Just over two years between them, just imagine the kickabouts in the garden.

36 min: “Leeds are falling apart, again”, sing the the Sunderland fans from the away end.

34 min: Pace, strength, skill and a finish to boot. That goal had just about everything in terms of centre-forward play.

GOAL! Leeds 0-1 Sunderland (Isidor 32)

30 min: Our first yellow card as Tanaka catches Neil high on the shin. A bad tackle and not too many complaints.

27 min: More blood and thunder as Aaronson flies into Le Fée. The Sunderland man looks like he has rolled his ankle nastily. Eeeesh.

24 min: Is there anyone faster than Dan James in the Championship? Maybe only Fulham’s Adama Traoré in England? Now that Kyle Walker has gone to Milan, perhaps. Anyway, James shows extraordinary pace to chase down a lost cause and win a free kick for Leeds in a dangerous area. O’Nien tried to rough James up a bit but the former Manchester United man wore it well. Sunderland clear the set piece.

22 min: Bogle sends Le Fée to the shop with a lovely body feint. We expected the opposite interaction to happen tonight, perhaps. In fairness, Le Fée gets his feet (le féet?) and gets back well to win the ball back for Sunderland.

20 min: Hume, unperturbed by his earlier injury, flies into a full-bloodied challenge with Solomon, leaving the Leeds man splatted over the Elland Road turf. Replays show it to be a brilliant tackle, although a sore one for Solomon.

18 min: For full disclosure, my three-year old son has just discovered Ice Age, so most of my references are going to be of that ilk. Apologies.

16 min: Sunderland need a way out of their own half and Isidor somehow provides it with a mazy dribble, evading and then running into trouble, before somehow evading it again. It reminded me of this scene, if Isidor was the squirrel with the acorn/ball.

14 min: Leeds have had 75% possession in the last 10 minutes but yet to carve out a major chance. Soloman has a deflected shot. Another Leeds corner is cleared. The pressure is building.

12 min: Leeds are putting the squeeze on. High-octane stuff, with and without the ball.

10 min: Hume is hobbling after colliding with teammate O’Nien. The Sunderland’s right back is going to have to go off for treatment.

8 min: An email from Jeremy Boyce: “This is a great match up, both teams looking to restore former glories, both in the four-into-two-doesn’t-go automatic promotion spots reckoning, both capable of scoring and conceding. A night that could open clear water, or muddy if further. Farke’s lot will want a Revie-esque non-defeat, and their record isn’t too great against their peers. On the other hand, they’re pretty ruthless on any signs of weakness. Could be a telling evening”.

6 min: Leeds pressing high, with Bogle springing forward to win the ball back near Sunderland’s box. Leeds earn a corner but it’s a dreadful delivery and Roberts clears easily at the near post.

4 min: What a rip-snorting start to this match. Both teams look in the mood to win it.

2 min: Huge chance for Sunderland and humungous double save from Meslier! Ballard comes out of defence with all the poise and swagger of a young Jonathan Woodgate, releases Le Fée on the left wing. The Frenchman squares the ball to Bellingham on the edge of the area – completely free after a Gruev slip – but the Sunderland midfielder doesn’t beat Meslier with his shot and the Leeds keeper gets quickly to his feet to block the rebound!

Peeeeeeeeeep!

The teams are out. You might remember the reverse fixture of this in October, where a Illan Meslier’s injury-time clanger gifted Sunderland a draw.

I would expect Leeds to have the majority of the possession tonight. They average over 60% possession in the Championship this season and Sunderland average less than half. As Le Bris touched on, Sunderland will most likely stay compact and hit Leeds on the break. No teams have scored more goals from counter-attacks than these two teams this season.

Régis Le Bris, Sunderland’s manager, speaks to the cameras:

Leeds are a strong opponent. We are still a young team. At the end of the game, we will have learned a lot. I don’t want to overthink about the table and the consequences. I just want to concentrate on Leeds and the three points. We trust our defensive shape and to use our fast attacks.

In other Championship news today:

This is the first Leeds game since Friday’s statement condemning the anti-Palestine chant aimed at Israel international Manor Solomon. A reminder of that statement:

Leeds United again condemn the football chant containing an anti-Palestine lyric aimed at Manor Solomon, having already done so in December.

Hate crime and discriminatory language or chanting is not acceptable at Leeds United and the club has a zero-tolerance policy towards discrimination abuse of all kinds.

The club has received a large number of complaints from Leeds United supporters regarding the chant and had hoped the initial strategy of condemning it through the media and working with supporter groups, would prevent this from happening in the future, but it has sadly become more prominent in recent matches, including at Elland Road.

After monitoring the situation at recent home games, the origins of the chant at Elland Road appear to come from the Norman Hunter South Stand, particularly in blocks FA5, FA6, SS5, SS6. As a result, there will be an increased CCTV surveillance and stewarding presence.

This is a nice piece by Louise Taylor on Enzo Le Fée, who was a protege of the Sunderland manager, Regis Le Bris, at Lorient.

Team news!

Preamble