Leeds came into Saturday’s match at Coventry City in second position in the division, one point behind champions Ipswich Town and one point ahead of third-place Leicester City, who had played one fewer game.
The Whites then received a significant boost in the day’s midday kick-off when Ipswich lost 1-0 to Norwich City in the East Anglian derby, putting United’s automatic promotion destiny back in their own hands ahead of kick-off at Coventry.
However, Daniel Farke’s Whites suffered their first league defeat of the new year as the Sky Blues won 2-1 on a day when Leicester City climbed to the top of the table with a 2-1 victory at home to Birmingham. Fourth-placed Southampton were held to a goalless draw against Blackburn.
With five games remaining, Leeds is now third, one point behind second-placed Ipswich and two behind Leicester, who have a game in hand. Southampton has two games in hand, but the Whites are 11 points ahead of them.
Just three days later, 13th-placed Sunderland will visit Elland Road, looking to get back on track after a goalless draw at home to Bristol City on Saturday, which followed a 5-1 thrashing at home to Blackburn Rovers the previous week.
Here, we go over the ailments and absentees from both camps, including a specific doubt and four individuals who have returned.
1. Pascal Struijk (out)
Whites centre-back Struijk is out for the season following surgery to mend fibre cartilage from his groin injury which has kept him out since Boxing Day
2. Jamie Shackleton (out)
Versatile Whites man Shackleton has suffered an adductor strain and is thought to be facing at least around two weeks out.
3. Niall Huggins (out)
Sunderland’s ex-Leeds youngster Huggins is set to miss the remainder of the campaign with a knee injury.
4. Jenson Seelt (out)
Sunderland’s Dutch centre-back Seelt is also sidelined with a knee injury.
5. Dennis Cirkin (out)
Young Black Cats left back Cirkin has been out since November with a hamstring injury for which he has had surgery. He is not expected back until the end of the month.
6. Elliot Embleton (out)
Sunderland midfielder Embleton recovered from a thigh injury but then rolled his ankle in training
7. Corry Evans (out)
Black Cats club captain Evans hasn’t featured all season due to an ACL injury suffered in January last year. He is now in the final stages of his recovery but suffered a reaction in training which put him back in part-training. Evans is expected to resume full training next weekend.
8. Nazariy Rusyn (doubt)
Sunderland’s Ukrainian forward Rusyn has now missed his side’s last four games with a calf injury but the 25-year-old did return to training before the weekend’s Bristol City game. Nevertheless, it’s enough to make him a doubt of some sorts.Nazariy Rusyn
9. Stuart Dallas (out)
United’s Northern Ireland international Dallas remains on the long comeback trail from a femoral fracture.
10. Aji Alese (back)
Some good news for Sunderland in former England youth international centre-back Alese bagging his first minutes since January as a second-half substitute in Saturday’s goalless draw against Bristol City. He has had multiple recent setbacks
11.
Ilia Gruev
(back)
The first of three Whites boosts presenting themselves in the face of the obvious disappointment at Coventry, Gruev returning straight to the starting line up following an ankle injury. The Bulgarian international lasted 66 minutes before being subbed and should be much sharper against Sunderland
12. Connor Roberts (back)
The second Whites injury return to present itself at Coventry, Roberts back from a muscular injury earlier than expected and brought on at half-time
13. Willy Gnonto (back)
Last but by no means least, Gnonto also returned from a hamstring injury earlier than expected at Coventry as an 84th-minute substitute and immediately looked quite lively. Like Roberts, possibly pushing for a start against Sunderland.
