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Sunderland v Leeds team news: No Ballard, visitors unchanged

28 December 2025 242 comments
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Sunderland face Leeds United in the first of two Premier League matches to take place on Sunday.

Kick-off at the Stadium of Light is at 14:00 GMT.

TEAM NEWS

Regis Le Bris makes just one change from last week’s goalless draw at Brighton and Hove Albion.

Dennis Cirkin earns his first start of the season, with Dan Ballard absent from the matchday squad due to injury.

This adjustment will likely see Nordi Mukiele move to centre-back, with Trai Hume, Omar Alderete and Cirkin joining him in the back four.

Further forward, Brian Brobbey is selected over Wilson Isidor for the third consecutive match.

Daniel Farke, as expected, sticks with the same line-up that thrashed Crystal Palace last time out.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin will once again spearhead the attack, as he seeks to score for the sixth consecutive match.

Positional rival Lukas Nmecha is fit enough to make the bench, however, having missed the last three games due to a hamstring injury.

LINE-UPS

Sunderland XI: Roefs, Hume, Mukiele, Alderete, Cirkin, Xhaka, Geertruida, Rigg, Le Fee, Adingra, Brobbey

Subs: Patterson, Neil, Mayenda, Isidor, Mundle, Hjelde, H Jones, J Jones, Tutierov

Leeds United XI: Perri, Bogle, Rodon, Bijol, Struijk, Gudmundsson, Aaronson, Ampadu, Stach, Calvert-Lewin, Okafor

Subs: Darlow, Justin, Bornauw, Gruev, Tanaka, Harrison, Gnonto, Piroe, Nmecha

price change predictions
242 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    DCL boom

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    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Delicious

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  2. Kaneyonero
    • 10 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    YES DCL!!!!

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  3. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    I didn't think DCL could keep scoring ...

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    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      6 on the bounce now

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      1. Danno - Emre Canada
        • 11 Years
        8 months, 23 hours ago

        Aye 7 in 6

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  4. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    FFS

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  5. Fifa las vegas
    • 14 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    I have him for 3 weeks and I’m starting to hate him having benched him each time 😆

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    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 14 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Sickened I didn’t just stick to my guns and start him over that bluffer Gordon this week though

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    2. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Bugger, that's haunting

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      1. Fifa las vegas
        • 14 Years
        8 months, 23 hours ago

        It’s my own fault for not following the form really, just thought it couldn’t be sustainable could it?

        Same situation again vs Pool next week on FH. I’ll take him out and no doubt he’ll get another.

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  6. F4L
    • 11 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    put stach in cos hes getting points but havent watched him that much but hes a very good player isnt he? great pass to aaronson there

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  7. Babit1967
    • 10 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    Yass DCL legend

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  8. F4L
    • 11 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    its eleven its heaven for jamie vardy, under threat..... 😉

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    1. PartyTime
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      If Haaland & Salah couldn't then maybe DCL will. 😆

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  9. Baps Hunter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    Biggest fpl trolls during recent history of fpl: DCL, R James and Digne. 2/3 are doing business and Virgil is trolling many.

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  10. REDMOND IN SANDALS
    • 5 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    Time to sell VVD. Unlikely Liverpool keeping a clean sheet against this Leeds team

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    1. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      I will wait one week. Arsenal has Chelsea and Sunderland hasn't been that good.

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  11. PartyTime
    • 5 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    DCL & Roefs in my team. Don't know how I feel.

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    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 14 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      There probably aren’t many double Sunderland defences so much of a muchness.

      I know how I feel with DCL on the bench though 😆

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      1. Fifa las vegas
        • 14 Years
        8 months, 23 hours ago

        I wish I never bought him now to begin with

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        1. PartyTime
          • 5 Years
          8 months, 23 hours ago

          Haha. Yikesss. Condolences.

          I had him on my bench in GW 16. Woltemade provided 0 pts while DCL had 9 pts on my f bench. Hence, I had to play him him or risk pts as his ownership increases.

          Now I have to find a way to play him v Liverpool 😆

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  12. Flynny
    • 11 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    Calafiori Richards and rodon owner with 1ft......

    Calafiori to Keane is likely

    Not worth a hit for a defender right? Even if it means no bench next week.....thanks

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    1. FourLokoLeipzig
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      I told myself that last week and missed out on Keane as a result. I think with the introduction of defcon, we may need to recalibrate our thinking about taking hits for defenders

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      1. Flynny
        • 11 Years
        8 months, 23 hours ago

        I can afford gabriel and mukiele

        Or keane and dalot maybe....

        Hoping for some richards clarity

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        1. FourLokoLeipzig
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          8 months, 22 hours ago

          Same here re Richards clarity. May be a small silver lining of missing Keane’s 10-pointer if I need to bring him in for Rodon instead, as sounds like he could be out for a few

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          1. Flynny
            • 11 Years
            8 months, 22 hours ago

            Yeah rodon sounds longer term than richards

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  13. bitm2007
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    Another chip failure in coming

    Currently on 2 points from BB this GW (3 x 1, and a -1)
    Lost 5 points the week I played the FH
    and gained 8 from Salah TC

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  14. F4L
    • 11 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    west ham dont have a chance of staying up

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  15. Nightcrawler
    • 7 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    Calvert lewin now THATS what we love to see

    best value pick atm. no idea why more people dont have him given how dire the other strikers have been

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    1. TheBiffas
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Because he's a perennial troll and hasn't been good since Ancelotti managed Everton

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  16. Tonyawesome69
    • 7 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Lerma, Lacroix, Guéhi, Clyne, Hughes, Wharton, Mitchell, Devenny, Yéremy Pino, Mateta

    Subs: Benítez, Canvot, Sosa, Benamar, Uche, Esse, Rodney, Nketiah, Drakes-Thomas

    Tottenham Hotspur XI: Vicario, Porro, Danso, van de Ven, Spence, Bentancur, Gray, Kudus, Bergvall, Kolo Muani, Richarlison

    Subs: Kinsky, Drăgușin, Takai, Davies, Palhinha, Tel, Johnson, Odobert, Scarlett

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  17. Captain Mal
    • 2 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    The last player to score for Leeds in six consecutive matches was John McCole in 1959-1960.

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  18. el polako
    • 9 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    Arsenal should try and get DCL in January if they are serious about having a center forward not a donkey.

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    1. F4L
      • 11 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      penny for moyes' thoughts

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      1. Ignasi M
        • 9 Years
        8 months, 23 hours ago

        to be fair to Moyes, DCL has had a terrible injury record and he was never prolific at Everton. Having said that, Leeds are playing to DCL's strengths and have way more creativity than Everton.

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    2. Ignasi M
      • 9 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      100%. DCL is a natural striker and way more clinical than Gyokeres.

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  19. Ignasi M
    • 9 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    DCL is the complete striker. I'd take him over Gyokeres anyday.

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  20. Brosstan
    • 12 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    Zzz didnt for a single second believe that Mukiele would get anything out of this game. Season well and truly over.

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  21. Whats the Mata?
    • 11 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    How many of Richards, Hincapie, Timber and Rodon y'all expect to start in gw19?

    These are my 4 defenders plus Orielly with 1ft. Looks like I'm screwed.

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    1. Ignasi M
      • 9 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Hincapie will be benched now that Gabby is back. Rodon injured today, so unlikely. Timber should start v Villa.

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      1. Tonyawesome69
        • 7 Years
        8 months, 23 hours ago

        I expect Hincapie to play LB if Calafiori is out

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      2. Emiliano Sala
        • 10 Years
        8 months, 22 hours ago

        Hincapie will start at LB

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    2. F4L
      • 11 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      if cala out hincapie will start for the time being at LB at least

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    3. Tonyawesome69
      • 7 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      I think Hincapie, Timber and Richards should start.

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      1. Emiliano Sala
        • 10 Years
        8 months, 22 hours ago

        Timber is injured

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        1. Tonyawesome69
          • 7 Years
          8 months, 22 hours ago

          Ok but I think he will be back for Villa which is why I said he will start...

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  22. F4L
    • 11 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    alderete probably has his defcon by now

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    1. Tonyawesome69
      • 7 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      He's on 13...

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  23. The Night Trunker.
    • 3 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    Mr Blobby off.

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  24. Brosstan
    • 12 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    Small green arrows for a few weeks, then another garbage game week where everyone blanks to undo everything... Hate this game.

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    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 9 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      I think I would be better off without it tbh

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  25. The Philosopher
    • 6 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    Now that everyone will look to bring in DCL, the fker will now go on a 10 game goal-less streak, ain't he..

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    1. PartyTime
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      He can't lace Vardy's boots

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    2. CoracAld2831
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 22 hours ago

      More likely he will just get injured.

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  26. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    These late offsides ffs

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  27. Stimps
    • 13 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    When will Gudmundson finally get an attacking return?

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    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 9 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      When he will be rooted 3rd on my bench.

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    2. CoracAld2831
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 22 hours ago

      When he isn't useful.

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  28. Atimis
    • 9 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    What kind of anomalie DCL is? Surely he has to stop scoring now?

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    1. CoracAld2831
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 22 hours ago

      He will when he becomes a part of the template.

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  29. Stimps
    • 13 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    Do you think Gabriel starts the next 3?

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  30. PartyTime
    • 5 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    I'll take another DCL goal. Got a be greedy in FPL.

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