Live Premier League updates from 4.30pm BST
Europe more curse than blessing for Sunderland
You can follow all the action at Old Trafford and elsewhere with Daniel Harris.
Hello and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of Sunderland v Leeds at the Stadium of Light. Last season, these teams breathed new life into the English football pyramid by comfortably avoiding relegation on their return to the Premier League . Leeds have started 2026-27 in a similar vein – but Sunderland, almost unnoticed, have slipped to the bottom of the table after taking four points from the first seven games.
The distraction of the Europa League, in which Sunderland have started superbly, is probably the main reason for that. And three of their seven league games were against the top three, so there’s nothing to worry about yet.
Nor will Sunderland – or Leeds, for that matter – take anything for granted. This is only the third Premier League meeting between the sides since 2002, a reflection of how much these two huge clubs have struggled. English football is a better place when they are in the top flight.
