'Very aggressive' - Sunderland manager's strong Leeds United warning as Elland Road approach outlined

Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris insists his side won’t be naive this evening but a repeat of last season’s defensively-minded Elland Road performance is unlikely.

Leeds United welcome their promotion rivals to West Yorkshire knowing victory will see them go top of the Championship once again, sending out a serious message in the process. The Whites are arguably enjoying their best period of form since Daniel Farke took over following Premier League relegation, with last week’s 4-0 win at Watford their 14th league game without defeat.

A similar run was ended at Coventry last season before Sunderland came to Elland Road to fight it out for a 0-0 draw, with the Black Cats using every trick in the book to frustrate their hosts and take a point. Leeds were furious not to receive at least one of two serious penalty calls, with that goalless draw one of five winless games in their last six before the play-offs.

Things are different this time round, however. Sunderland are now fighting for automatic promotion but with a seven-point gap to their second-placed hosts, points need to be taken from their top-two rivals. And so Le Bris will take his side to LS11 looking to impose their style of play - albeit with a tweak or two.

“We have to focus on our game," he told the Sunderland Echo. "We know their threat and how dangerous they can be – if we are naive, we can be punished. We have good qualities to play against these types of opponents – we can’t afford to let them play. If we don’t damage their defence, we will have many regrets in the end.

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“They are a well-rounded team who are doing very well – it’s more a positive challenge than something we have to be afraid of. We have to keep our ideas. At the same time, we always have small variations in different moments.

“We know they are very aggressive [marking], probably man-for-man, and when we come up against a team like that, we don’t play in the same way as when we come up against a different formation. That is just a question of adaptation according to the problem you have.”

A mid-table Sunderland side were quite rightly happy to take a point from Elland Road last season but the same cannot be said this evening, with their need for victory setting up a potentially thrilling encounter. Leeds know a point will send them top again but few would settle for a draw, particularly as they travel to current league leaders Sheffield United next Monday.

Burnley’s 0-0 draw at Preston North End on Saturday - their 11th goalless stalemate already this season - has given Leeds a massive opportunity to cement their automatic promotion credentials. Victory would open up a seven-point gap on the third-placed Clarets, who also still have Sheffield United to play.