Why Leeds United vs Sunderland U21s fixture at Elland Road has been rearrangrd

The young Black Cats were set to travel to West Yorkshire on Monday, March 20, yet the fixture has been brought forward to be played on Sunday, March 19 (2pm kick-off).

Leeds are top of the Premier League 2, Division 2, table and will be able to play the match at Elland Road while their first team face Wolves away from home that weekend.

The Whites are targeting promotion from the second tier, with just one team set to go up automatically and Nottingham Forest sitting just three points behind them in second.

Leeds asked for the U21s fixture to be brought forward and it has now been agreed for the match to take place a day earlier.

The young Black Cats will be hoping to build on a 4-1 win over Stoke at Eppleton CW last time out, as several first-team players including Joe Anderson, Pierre Ekwah, Isaac Lihadji, Abdoullah Ba and Jewison Bennette featured for Graeme Murty’s side.

“I think that we were convincing in the way we approached the game,” Murty told the Echo after the win. “I think the first-team players in particular were respectful of the game, respectful of the group they dropped into and made sure they pushed on and did things properly.

“I thought that approach and that application lended itself to the situation and made sure we dealt with the football really well.

“We did all the horrible stuff really well with our pressing and our workrate, and then that let their talent shine and there is some talent in that group.”