Find out how Leeds United’s players rated against Sunderland in tonight’s Premier League clash
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
21:38, 03 Mar 2026Updated 22:04, 03 Mar 2026
Habib Diarra of Sunderland scores(Image: Getty Images)
Leeds United were handed a reminder that there are no off-days in the Premier League, recording a disappointing 1-0 home defeat to a weakened Sunderland side.
Leeds thought they had gone ahead on 63 minutes when Joe Rodon headed home – only for VAR to judge him to be offside by a margin.
Then, Ethan Ampadu being penalised for what VAR judged to be deliberate handball in the area allowed former Leeds summer target Habib Diarra to find the net, with Karl Darlow left looking to the sky having seen the ball squirm under him on 70 minutes.
Daniel Farke made a series of attacking substitutions but, even with 12 minutes added on for injury time, Sunderland withheld a late barrage to hand Leeds a frustrating defeat, offering West Ham the chance to cue the six-point gap when they play Fulham tomorrow.
Here are how the Leeds players rated.
Karl Darlow – Made good save from Eliezer Mayenda even if he was offside. Some hairy moments of distribution. Was super unlucky not to keep the spot kick out. 7
Jayden Bogle – Occupied his high position for most of the game, essentially acting as an inside right winger. Hit a shot at goal in the second half. 6
James Justin – Calm and won duels consistently. Considering he is playing with stitches in his shin, he did well – both posiitionally and on the ball – before being taken off when Leeds brought on attacking substitutes. 7
Joe Rodon – Got into man. Did well to head home but VAR denied him the goal having been offside. Was a threat in the air albeit did not touch much in the other box after that disallowed header. 7
Pascal Strujik – After fouling inside the first minute, he went on to use his body well against his strikers. Hardly put a foot wrong in the second half. 7
Gabriel Gudmundsson – The main attacking outlet in the first half, getting to the byline and winning corners and free-kicks. 7
Anton Stach – Went close with a free kick just past the half-hour mark, forcing a save. Cracked in a super ball for Rodon’s offside goal and transitioned the play but had his wasteful moments too. 6
Ethan Ampadu – Came too deep for the crowd’s liking, hitting a few wayward balls. Was deemed to have handled the ball for the penalty. 5
Ilia Gruev – Here and there with limited success in his play. Not always productive but mostly retentive. Looked tired, starting his 11th straight Premier League game. 5
Brenden Aaronson – Hardly in the game in the first 35 minutes before putting in one decent cross before winning free-kicks in promising positions either side of half time. Grew better in the second half but was taken off when Leeds went for attacking. 5
Dominic Calvert-Lewin – Had to feed off scraps in the first half. Had to contend with man mountain Dan Ballard throughout, which made life more difficult. 4
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Jaka Bijol (83′ for Bogle) – Saw a close-range but tight-angle shot thunder off the outside of the post late on. Saw another flick-on gathered. Did his defensive bit too. 7
Daniel James (74′ for Justin) – Added energy and put in a cracking ball that should have been tucked away with better reading of the play from strikers. 7
Wilfried Gnonto (74′ for Aaronson) – Cut inside to fire a shot past the left post. Added impetus but not to the required effect. 6
Joel Piroe (83′ for Gudmundsson) – Saw a shot blocked but didn’t do much else – apart from spooning a shot wide. 3
Lukas Nmecha (62′ for Gruev) – Linked up the play neatly if not always potently. 6
Sean Longstaff – Didn’t come on but gets a mark for stealing away the towel for Luke O’Nien’s long throw in the first half. 1
MANAGER: Daniel Farke – Not sure that making no changes to the starting XI was a good idea given the intensity of Sunday’s game. Made attacking substitutes but only after Sunderland had made their own changes. More ambition might have saved the day against a weakened visiting side. 5
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