Leeds United’s post-Christmas Premier League record ahead of Sunderland, first away since 2002 | OneFootball

Leeds United visit Sunderland on Sunday for their first post-Christmas Premier League away fixture since 2002, carrying a mixed record after defeats in the last two seasons.

Leeds Live notes that the last four such games were at Elland Road. In 2022/23 they lost 3-1 to Manchester City after a 4-1 defeat to Arsenal the year before.

Their last post-Christmas top-flight win came in 2020, a 1-0 victory over Burnley settled by Patrick Bamford’s fifth-minute penalty. Across the Premier League era, those first matches after Christmas read six wins, six defeats and three draws.

Leeds have scored in all but two of these fixtures, 0-0 against Aston Villa in 2003 and Newcastle in 1994. The biggest wins were 3-0 away at Bolton in 2001 and at Newcastle in 1998, while the heaviest was that home defeat to Arsenal in 2021.

Recent away form in this slot is encouraging, with two wins in the last two and only one loss in the last four. One of those trips was to Sunderland in 2002, when James Milner scored and Robbie Fowler won it with an 80th-minute penalty.

Leeds would welcome a repeat this weekend.

Source: Leeds Live