"Incredible confidence" - Leeds United backed to beat Sunderland with key factors underlined | OneFootball

FLW's Leeds United fan pundit has outlined the reasons why his side should be confident against Sunderland on Monday.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Title-chasing Leeds United welcome promotion rivals Sunderland to Elland Road on Monday night in a huge clash in the Championship.

Daniel Farke's side will host the Championship promotion rivals with seven points separating the sides. The Whites ran out 4-0 winners over Watford on Tuesday night, while Sunderland returned to winning ways against Luton Town with a 2-0 victory.

However, Leeds approached this weekend top of the table with a five-point cushion to third place, knowing that their next two games could be massive in their pursuit of the league title. That has since been cut by a point from Burnley, while Sheffield United's win against Luton Town on Saturday also means Farke and co. find themselves in second before kick-off.

The pressure of the Championship promotion race remains high with Leeds hoping to start creating a gap to the sides behind them in third and fourth. Unlike last season, they are in the driving seat inside the top two and are not the chasers.

This time around, the standard across the division doesn’t appear as high as 2023/24, but Leeds are still finding themselves in the middle of a serious four-way tussle for promotion. Monday provides an opportunity to pull away and have clear daylight to at least two of the other three teams, though.

The verdict ahead of Leeds United against Sunderland

We asked one of FLW’s Leeds United fan pundits - Ger Lynch - for his views on the game, with the clear reasons why Leeds can take the three points in the top of the table clash at Elland Road.

Ger told FLW:

"The fact that we have scored 18 goals and conceded none in the last six games means that the team is going into it with incredible confidence. It definitely has an assured nature about what they’re doing now.

"Leeds are very solid at the back, can create goals, and the record at Elland Road this season is phenomenal. We’ve only lost one game all season and that was to Burnley. That goal only came because a player slipped and fell over.

"So, given the home record, given Leeds’ form, and what they’ve been doing recently? I think Leeds have got an excellent opportunity.

"The other factor as well will be Sunderland coming into this from a position of having to close the gap and having to be the chasing team in the automatic race. Which means they might have to come out and play a little bit more.

"Teams that have had success against Leeds tend to play some sort of low block and sit in. So Sunderland coming out to play a bit more might play into Leeds’ hands. There will be more space just in the channels.

In many ways, the game needs no introduction, with Sunderland taking on the Championship leaders for most of the last few weeks when they line up against Leeds, with Farke’s side having stretched their unbeaten Championship run to 14 matches when they thrashed Watford at Vicarage Road in midweek.

It sees arguably the two biggest and most well-supported clubs face off, knowing three points could prove to be pivotal. A win for Leeds would drastically increase their chances of a top-two finish, while a defeat would make the promotion race wide open heading into the latter stages.

It's also a game during which Sunderland's top-flight credentials will be tested to the absolute maximum, facing the best side in the division and looking to beat them on their own turf. That is easier said than done, given Leeds' current run.

Leeds are enjoying a rich vein of form right now, having not lost in the Championship since November and not conceded in the competition for five weeks.

They are full of confidence, as Ger alludes to, The Whites have scored 18 without reply since they last conceded in the league, but the likes of Wilson Isidor, Enzo Le Fee and Jobe Bellingham have the talent to break through United's strong and resilient defensive unit, and that will give Farke food for thought.