Leeds United v Sunderland live: Updates and analysis from Elland Road, TV details

Kick-off at Elland Road tonight as Leeds face automatic promotion rivals Sunderland. A huge night. All the build-up to come here.

Here we go then - good evening from Elland Road

The stage is set

Clearly the build-up this evening will be all about Leeds having the chance to reclaim top spot - even with a draw - that and the 1973 FA Cup final narrative. Oh, and a score to settle after the mad ending in the 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture at The Stadium of Light. A big game for Meslier with that in mind. But, let’s be honest, automatic promotion is the first and foremost aim and a seven-point cushion in the top two back to third-placed Burnley would be absolutely huge at this stage of the season. Far from unassailable, but very much on the way. It is that which matters most. Victory here would also kick Leeds ten points clear of fourth-placed Sunderland. Even a draw keeps the gap to the Black Cats at seven points and extends the advantage over the Clarets to five points, more than decent. Let’s not think about defeat. The games are all big now but given the fact that Leeds are playing an automatic promotion rival - and the chance offered by Burnley only drawing at Preston on Saturday - this one feels especially huge.

Bamford and Wober are the only two Leeds players out. There’s probably two main talking points when it comes to the team selection - does Struijk now come back in and who plays in centre midfield. They are both hard calls as Farke might well want to keep the same XI that blitzed Watford which would mean Ampadu and Rodon as the centre-backs, Struijk on the bench, and Tanaka and Gruev in centre midfield. But Joe Rothwell has often got the nod upon a midfield rotate for home games - probably because of his more advanced nature - so perhaps it will be Rothwell next to Tanaka and then Ampadu staying next to Rodon. Hard calls though that could go either way. The rest surely picks itself. Team news at 7pm, arrivals at around 6.30pm.

In the West Stand as we await Leeds United arrivals. Another bitterly cold night.

Same squad as against Watford. As expected.

Mateo Joseph embraces Sunderland’s Poveda as the first Leeds player out on the pitch, Ampadu just behind him,

Arrivals, three braving it

The West Stand - because of the gap to outside at the end of it - is Baltic. Many layers required.

Leeds United v Sunderland: Meslier; Bogle, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo; Tanaka, Gruev; James, Solomon, Aaronson, Piroe. #lufc

Leeds subs: Darlow, Byram, Schmidt, Struijk, Rothwell, Guilavogui, Ramazani, Gnonto, Joseph. #lufc

Sunderland team and bench

Team news in full

Not really a huge surprise given not just the Leeds defence but team as a whole at present, Gruev and Tanaka axis stays the same in midfield. The same XI that blitzed Watford. Warm ups just getting underway at Elland Road. And same here too, time to literally warm up.

Warm ups

Leeds-fan darts star Luke Humphries is in the house, mixing with a few press and hospitality folk downstairs. He thinks Leeds will win and that’s the general feeling from most people I’ve spoken to here.

Leeds are 4-7 favs here, Sunderland are 6s which seems big but you can see why given Leeds’ home form. The draw is 16-5.