Football betting tips: Championship
1pt Jayden Bogle to be carded at 18/5 (Unibet)
BuildABet @ 15/1
- Dennis Cirkin to be carded
- Willy Gnonto to be carded
- Jayden Bogle to be carded
This is the litmus test for Sunderland’s title credentials.
Yes, the season is still in its infancy so the table is irrelevant but Régis Le Bris’ side's start to the campaign has not gone under the radar.
The Black Cats top the Sky Bet Championship, three points clear of Friday’s opposition and ante-post favourites for the title Leeds.
Victory for the visitors would move them level on points with Sunderland; no foregone conclusion after Leeds’ performance in a midweek draw at Norwich.
The bookies think otherwise, pricing Daniel Farke’s side as 5/4 favourites. Avoid the 1X2 in my book.
Leeds have faced two of the sides above them already this term, West Brom and Burnley, taking one point and failing to score a single goal.
It's quite a contrast from last season where they went four from four against the top two, scoring 12 and keeping clean sheets in half of the games. It's also worth noting Sunderland took four points from Leeds last campaign and won four of their six home games against the top six.
What are the best bets?
Considering the occasion - under the lights, live on the box and two of the current favourites for the title - cards have to be the way in especially considering the referee.
Tim Robinson is the man in the middle and he’s dished out 25 cards in four appearances this season. This will be his first second-tier game of 24/25 - he averages just under four cards a game across his previous 235.
JAYDEN BOGLE’s price TO BE CARDED is the standout.
The fact he already has three and tops Leeds’ fouls per game charts (1.8) is great but this angle is mainly about his opposite number: Romaine Mundle.
Sunderland’s winger didn’t get a sniff until Jack Clarke’s exit but has grabbed his chance with both hands.
The winger netted in his first three league starts of the season but it is his foul-drawing ability which is of interest here.
Mundle has drawn at least two fouls in each of his six starts - a per game average only bettered by Leeds winger Willy Gnonto - and drawn cards from right-backs in half of his six appearances. Good luck Bogle.
Team news
Le Bris could name an unchanged XI for the third game in a row. This would see 17-year-old Chris Rigg alongside Jobe Bellingham and Dan Niel in midfield.
Ian Poveda managed just 11 minutes against Derby before he was forced off with another injury on Tuesday and won't play any part against his former employers.
Farke is without Max Wober, Manor Solomon, Dan James, Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu. The absence of the latter two will see Joe Rothwell partner Ao Tanaka at the base of midfield.
Bournemouth loanee Rothwell is yet to start in the league and Japanese midfielder Tanaka has only started one game for Leeds.
Predicted line-ups
Sunderland: Patterson; Hume, Mepham, O'Nien, Cirkin; Rigg, Neil, Bellingham; Roberts, Isidor, Mundle.
Leeds: Meslier; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Firpo; Rothwell, Tanaka; Gnonto, Aaronson, Ramazani; Joseph.
Odds correct at 0845 BST (03/10/24)
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