A strong call as the bookies issue their Leeds United versus Sunderland verdict.

The bookies have made a strong call in their Leeds United versus Sunderland pre-season friendly verdict with clear favourites for the game in New Jersey.

The Whites and Black Cats will lock horns at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey in the early hours of Friday morning UK time in the second game of the USA tour for both sides.

Leeds began their friendlies in the USA with last weekend’s 3-2 defeat against Wrexham for which boss Daniel Farke had eight first team players missing whilst Sunderland also had key men missing in their 4-2 defeat to Liverpool.

Black Cats boss Regis Le Bris has revealed that his club’s World Cup players will join the squad for potentially half an hour of football against Leeds as others are pushed for an hour against Farke’s Whites.

Leeds, meanwhile, announced before departing for the USA that some of the club’s World Cup stars would also be joining up later in the tour.

Clear favourites for the pre-season friendly

Sunderland finished last season’s Premier League season in a fantastic seventh place, qualifying for the Europa League in finishing seven places and seven points higher than fellow top-flight new boys Leeds who ended up in 14th.

The bookies, though, have made Farke’s Whites clear favourites for the pre-season friendly in New Jersey for which Leeds are no bigger than 13-10 but as short as 11-10 with some firms.

Sunderland can be backed at 2s whilst the draw is on offer at 11-4.

Despite missing the friendly against Wrexham after an injury setback, Whites no 9 Dominic Calvert-Lewin is 15-8 joint favourite to score first along with Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor.

Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey is next at 2s, just ahead of Leeds striker Lukas Nmecha at 21-10.