Sunderland 1-1 Leeds: Dominic Calvert-Lewin scores for a sixth successive Premier League game to secure visitors a draw
Report and free match highlights as Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored in a sixth successive Premier League game as Leeds sealed a draw against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light; Simon Adingra opened the scoring for the hosts but Calvert-Lewin hit back after the break to rescue a point
Sunday 28 December 2025 16:56, UK
Dominic Calvert-Lewin's incredible goalscoring run continued as he found the net in a sixth consecutive Premier League game to secure Leeds a 1-1 draw at Sunderland.
The striker, who now has seven goals in his last six games. continued to push his case for an England recall, cancelling out Simon Adingra's first-half opener after the winger was teed up beautifully by Granit Xhaka's inch-perfect pass.
Sunderland just about edged an action-packed first half and Brian Brobbey hit the crossbar with a header just before the break as the hosts missed the chance to get some breathing space in the game.
- As it happened | Teams | Stats
- Live Premier League table | Watch FREE PL highlights
- Got Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phoneđŸ“±
- Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOWđŸ“º
It proved costly as Leeds roared back after the interval.
Calvert-Lewin was in the right place at the right time to equalise in a fine end-to-end move that saw all 11 Leeds players touch the ball.
The momentum was with Leeds as a frenetic start to the half continued, with the Yorkshire side coming close to taking the lead when Jayden Bogle's effort from Okafor's delivery bounced past a post.
Leeds continued to dominate, with Robin Roefs holding another Jaka Bijol header and Ao Tanaka firing wide before the visitors unleashed a wave of attacks, with Ethan Ampadu having the best opportunity with his powerful effort headed away.
Sunderland suddenly began to threaten at the opposite end in the final stages when Eliezer Mayenda had a shot blocked and Omar Alderete nodded over from a corner, but neither side could find a winner.
A point sees Sunderland remain unbeaten at home in the Premier League so far this season and keeps them seventh in the table, while Leeds stay 16th as they extend their unbeaten run to five matches.
How Rodon injury (from Adingra's foul!) played part in Sunderland goal
Joe Rodon had an action-packed first half.
The defender was caught late by Brobbey's challenge as early as the sixth minute but he recovered to continue before being caught again by a similar challenge later in the half by Adingra. Four minutes later Adingra found the net with Rodon unable to get out to catch the winger offside before he was forced from the field immediately after the goal.
Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp said: "To an extent Rodon is too brave for his own good.
"He takes a nasty one on his ankle [from Brobbey] then Adingra comes across and catches his ankle.
"He's in agony, he's a tough boy, he wants to play on. Calvert-Lewin asks him if he's going to be alright.
"But he's too slow to clear his lines because he's struggling, he's limping. He keeps Adingra onside. Then straight away he has to come off.
"(Daniel) Farke can't be upset with a player who wants to stay on but he's probably thinking, 'if you'd come off we wouldn't have had this problem'."
Le Bris: We are still learning
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris to Sky Sports:
"We started well with many changes in the squad. We had the opportunity to score the second goal and maybe it would have changed the dynamic of the game.
"They changed their shape a little bit and we struggled to find the references defensively and offensively which is normal because of the amount of changes we had in the squad. You can prepare the game properly but to then be adaptive in real time is not an easy task. In the future I think it will be better but we had to go through this experience.
"It is important to highlight that we played two good games without our six players [at AFCON], even more because Ballard wasn't here, O'Nien is suspended as well. So eight players and we still played good football which in the Premier League is hard because the level is so high. The games are really tight and a single detail can change the outcome. We are new in this league and we are learning and we just need to keep going."
Farke: It's another step forward but it could have been more
Leeds boss Daniel Farke to Sky Sports:
"Compliments to the lads but I'll be honest I'm a bit in between today because we showed great mentality to come back today from a losing position and a great performance from minute 30 until the end.
"It's a good point on the road, no other team has had a better result here. Sunderland are unbeaten at home. I had a gut feeling, during and before the game, that we could win it, and if we have a look at the statistics we have dominated the game.
"The feeling is that if we would have been a bit more clinical in the opponent's box then we should have won this game. It's a good point, we take this point, it's another step forward but we could have made a huge step today. For that I'm not dancing on the table tonight."
Pardew: Credit to Farke's half-time input
Former Premier League manager Alan Pardew gave Daniel Farke credit on Super Sunday as Leeds turned the game around in the second half at the Stadium of Light:
"The manager did a great job at half-time. I thought Sunderland had control in the first half, their focus was better.
"Leeds, for 20 minutes after half-time, were brilliant. They swarmed over Sunderland.
"The goal was a great testament for the way they performed in the second half, but I think both managers will be absolutely chuffed with the game.
"To go to the Stadium of Light and get a point, that's a good day's work."
Story of the match in stats...
Calvert-Lewin: Timing comes with my rhythm
Player of the match Dominic Calvert-Lewin on Sky Sports after scoring a seventh goal in six Premier League matches:
"When you find a good rhythm and momentum, the timing seems to come with it.
"As a centre-forward you can make a lot of runs without getting the ball, you need a lot of things to come together for it to be a goal.
"The more pleasing thing is the performances we've been putting in. We were slow in the first half but we were much better after half-time."
Opta facts: DCL continues fine form...
Calvert-Lewin became only the 11th English player to score in six-plus consecutive Premier League appearances, and first since Joe Willock netted in seven in a row from April to May 2021.
He is also the first Leeds player to achieve this in the top flight since John McCole in 1959-60.
Leeds now are unbeaten in their last five Premier League games (won two, drawn three), picking up more points in this run (nine) than they had in their previous 12 league matches (eight - won two, drawn two and lost eight).
Sunderland have avoided defeat in each of their opening nine home matches of a Premier League season (won five, drawn four) for just the third time, after 2000-01 (12) and 2010-11 (nine).
