Leeds fight back at Sunderland as Dominic Calvert-Lewin trumps Harry Kane record | OneFootball

Leeds United closed 2025 with a 1-1 draw at Sunderland, recovering from Simon Adingra’s first-half strike as Dominic Calvert-Lewin finished a slick move to level.

yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk highlights key takeaways from Wearside, notably an early defensive injury, a mid-game shape change and a ferocious half-time response.

Joe Rodon twice rolled his right ankle under a challenge and tried to continue. Struggling to step out, he was a yard deeper when Granit Xhaka fed Adingra for 1-0. Ao Tanaka replaced Rodon before play restarted.

Tanaka’s arrival triggered a switch back to a back four, and Leeds again flipped between systems with ease. After the interval, three in midfield saw them hoover up first and second balls. Black Cats boss Regis Le Bris later acknowledged that the visitors’ flexibility caused problems.

Brenden Aaronson said Daniel Farke delivered a stinging half-time dressing down over a lackadaisical opening 45. The tone shift brought a transformed display as Leeds controlled the second half.

They became only the second side to take a point off Sunderland after trailing at half-time, the other being Arsenal. They might even have won had pressure yielded clearer chances.

Calvert-Lewin’s glancing finish was his seventh in six games, scoring in each, the first Leeds player in 65 years to net in six straight. Harry Kane never scored in six consecutive Premier League matches for Tottenham, twice reaching five before falling short. With Anfield next on New Year’s Day, few would bet against another.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk