Sunderland boss makes bold Leeds United scoring claim with penalty view and top-two prediction

Sunderland approached the midweek contest in West Yorkshire having won just one of their last ten games but took points off Leeds for the second time this season following a 0-0 stalemate at LS11. Dodds was also in caretaker charge of Sunderland when they took on Leeds at the Stadium of Light in December, a contest in which the Black Cats sealed a 1-0 victory thanks to Jobe Bellingham’s late winner.

Four months later, Leeds were denied a golden chance to bag what could have proved a second-half winner against Sunderland when referee Tim Robinson and his team failed to spot that Black Cats defender Luke O’Nien had punched clear a corner, just as Joe Rodon was about to plant a header at goal.

United’s appeals for a penalty were ignored and Sunderland left with a draw against a side who Dodds hailed as the best in the division. The interim Black Cats boss also thinks that United’s season will end with automatic promotion and described competing against Whites boss Daniel Farke as a privilege.

Dodds, though, claimed that he not once felt that Farke’s side would score against his team at Elland Road and that decisions such as the failure to award Leeds a penalty were “swings and roundabouts” and part of the game.

Providing his thoughts at Tuesday night’s post-match press conference and pressed on how proud he was of his players, Dodds said: “I'm happy for them. I don't want to go over the top. I just said to them in there that we have drawn the game, we haven't won the game and I think we've got to take the positives from the game.

"I think there were a lot of positives. But we have drawn the game, I don't want to be sat here celebrating draws if I'm being completely honest.

"I thought our out of possession stuff was excellent. I didn't feel at any point that Leeds were going to score or break us down or carve us open. I felt all their kind of chances came from our sloppy play and I just said to the group in there, my biggest disappointment was our quality with the ball.

"I think the evening would have been a lot more comfortable for us had we had better quality with the ball so my disappointment in the game is our quality with the ball. I felt we turned the ball over far too much but I am happy in terms of the execution of the plan to stop their threats.

"I think they are the best team in the league, my personal opinion from what I have seen and to come here and obviously play them earlier in the year and not concede any goal over two games says everything about the group and says everything about the kind of preparation for the two games."

Asked if he thought Leeds would seal automatic promotion, Dodds declared: "I think so. I have watched a lot of Leeds. I think they have a real structure in the way they play but I also like the freedom that Daniel kind of gives his front half of the pitch players.

"I think they are the best team that I have planned and prepared for. I just feel over the two games, our players completely executed the gameplan which made it really difficult for Leeds over two games to try and break us and down and the reality, there was one goal difference in the last game and I did feel though Pat (keeper Anthony Patterson) has had one save to make this evening, I did feel though our chances were few and far between, our chances were better.

"But I am really respectful to the opposition in terms of the quality. I think to stand at the side of the pitch with Daniel is a huge privilege for me. To kind of test myself against the best is something that I want to try and do. I think he is one of the best in the league and I think his team is one of the best in the league as well."

Pressed on whether his heart was in his mouth for the second half handball penalty claim, Dodds reasoned: "I'll be honest, it happened so quick at the side of the pitch, you don't really have an opportunity to kind of wobble on it if that's the right phrase to use.

"The one thing I will say is look, there are so many times where I have been in this position where I have not criticised the referee, I can think of a couple at the Stadium of Light where I could sit here and criticise decisions that have gone against us. The reality is the decisions are swings and roundabouts, that's my viewpoint with it.

"I think sometimes you get them, sometimes you don't. I think it would have been unbelievably cruel on our players if the game was decided by that decision. I haven't watched it back if I am being completely honest but sometimes you get them, sometimes you don't.

"I think sometimes refereeing is such a hard job, I am not going to sit here and criticise them whether it's negatively or positively. I've said this all the time, my focus is on improving the players and the group, trying to create an identity. The kind of outside bits whether it be refereeing and their decisions, I have no real focus on them."