EPL game reviews – 2025-12-29

Scoreline and Game Flow

The scoring pattern is clear from the records:

• Half-time: Home 1 – 0 Away
• Second half: Home 0 – 1 Away
• Full-time: Sunderland (home) 1 – 1 Leeds (away)

Sunderland struck first and went into the break 1–0 up, but Leeds hit back in the second half to level it, with both sides ultimately forced to settle for a point.

Goals, Assists and Key Contributors

On the Sunderland side, the only player to find the net was Simon Adingra. The JSON shows:

• Simon Adingra – 1 goal, 1 shot on target, 1 total shot
• Granit Xhaka – 1 assist and credited with 1 “score or assist” contribution

That combination tells the story of Sunderland’s goal: Xhaka providing the key contribution and Adingra finishing the move with the only home goal of the game. Adingra was efficient – one shot, one shot on target, one goal – the kind of clinical edge that always appeals in anytime goalscorer or shots‑on‑target markets.

For Leeds, the JSON identifies Dominic Calvert‑Lewin as the away side’s lone goalscorer:

• Dominic Calvert‑Lewin – 1 goal, 1 shot on target, 1 shot, and 1 score-or-assist contribution

Again, extremely tidy from a betting perspective: Calvert‑Lewin delivered for backers in the goals and shots‑on‑target markets with a perfectly efficient outing.

In terms of creative output beyond the actual assists, the “player score or assist” metric shines a light on direct attacking involvement. The players with a non‑zero value there were:

• Granit Xhaka – 1 score or assist (assist to Adingra)
• Simon Adingra – 1 score or assist (his goal)
• Brenden Aaronson – 1 score or assist
• Dominic Calvert‑Lewin – 1 score or assist

While Aaronson didn’t score or assist according to the goal and assist metrics, his “score or assist” value of 1 indicates he was directly involved in Leeds’ attacking output in a way that matters for some player performance markets.

Shot Volumes and Attacking Threat

The shot numbers help show where the attacking momentum came from. On the Sunderland (home) side:

• Brian Brobbey – 2 shots (0 on target)
• Simon Adingra – 1 shot, 1 on target, 1 goal
• Wilson Isidor – 1 shot, 1 on target, but no goal
• Omar Alderete – 1 shot (0 on target)
• Nordi Mukiele – 1 shot, 1 on target, but no goal

Brobbey led Sunderland in shot volume with two attempts, but without hitting the target. The real efficiency came from Adingra and Isidor, who both worked the keeper, though only Adingra converted.

On the Leeds (away) side, the shot distribution was more spread:

• Jaka Bijol – 2 shots, 2 on target
• Brenden Aaronson – 2 shots, 1 on target
• Ethan Ampadu – 2 shots, 1 on target
• Anton Stach – 1 shot, 1 on target
• Dominic Calvert‑Lewin – 1 shot, 1 on target, 1 goal
• Pedro Okafor, Ao Tanaka and others – additional single‑shot contributions

The numbers suggest Leeds had a good spread of contributors from deeper areas. Jaka Bijol’s 2 shots on target from 2 attempts stands out – a defender or deeper player getting that many clean looks can often offer strong value in long‑odds shot or shot‑on‑target markets. The midfield trio of Aaronson, Ampadu and Stach also chipped in with meaningful efforts, suggesting Leeds relied heavily on late arrivals from midfield and set‑piece situations.

Corner Count and Territory

Corners often give you a feel for territory and pressure, and this game had a surprisingly lopsided tally:

• Full-time corners: Sunderland (home) 3 – 9 Leeds (away)
• First half corners: Sunderland 2 – 4 Leeds
• Second half corners: Sunderland 1 – 5 Leeds

Leeds dominated the corner count 9–3 overall and out‑cornered Sunderland in both halves. For anyone who backed away‑team corners or handicaps, this match was exactly the sort of profile you like to see – sustained pressure and repeated set‑piece opportunities, especially after going behind and then chasing the equaliser.

What the Stats Say About the Matchup

The numbers paint a picture of Sunderland being more clinical early on, taking their chance through Adingra with help from Xhaka, while Leeds gradually imposed themselves through volume – more shots from multiple players and a heavy skew in corners.

From a betting and performance angle:

• Goal markets: Adingra and Calvert‑Lewin delivered for anytime goalscorer bets.
• Shots on target: Jaka Bijol’s 2/2 on target and Calvert‑Lewin’s 1/1 were standout lines.
• Corners: Away corners and away corner handicaps looked strong, with Leeds winning 9–3.

In the end, both sides walk away with a point, but the underlying stats show Leeds with the stronger territorial profile, while Sunderland leaned on efficiency in front of goal.

Scoreline and Match Pattern

The standard score metrics show a straightforward pattern:

• Half-time: Crystal Palace (home) 0 – 1 Tottenham (away)
• Second half: 0 – 0
• Full-time: Crystal Palace 0 – 1 Tottenham

Spurs grabbed the lead in the first half and then held firm, keeping Palace at bay in the second 45. For unders backers, this one would have been a comfortable watch after the early breakthrough.

Who Made the Difference for Spurs?

The scoring data for Tottenham points clearly to one key figure in attack:

• Archie Gray – 1 goal, 1 shot on target, 1 shot, and 1 score-or-assist contribution

Gray’s numbers match the match pattern: he took one key chance, hit the target and scored the only goal of the game. For a young player or a deeper‑lying midfielder, that’s gold in the anytime goalscorer and “to have a shot on target” markets.

Around him, there were important supporting acts:

• Rodrigo Bentancur – 1 shot, 1 on target
• Richarlison – 1 shot, 1 on target, 1 assist, and 1 score-or-assist contribution
• Wilson Odobert – 2 shots, 1 on target
• Pedro Porro – 1 shot, 1 on target
• Radu Drăguşin – 1 shot (off target)

The JSON confirms Richarlison recorded the only assist of the match, setting up Gray’s goal. That makes him extremely valuable in “assist” and “goal or assist” style markets on the day. His “score or assist” metric of 1 backs that up, even though he didn’t score himself.

In terms of direct involvement, the two standout attacking contributors for Spurs were:

• Archie Gray – scorer, 1 shot on target
• Richarlison – provider, assist, 1 shot on target, 1 score-or-assist

Palace’s Effort and Shot Profile

Crystal Palace failed to find the back of the net, but they did generate a few moments of promise. Key shot takers for the home side included:

• Justin Devenny – 2 shots, 1 on target
• Jean‑Philippe Mateta – 2 shots (0 on target)
• Will Hughes – 1 shot (off target)
• Adam Wharton – 1 shot, 1 on target
• Maxence Lacroix and Marc Guéhi – 1 shot each from the back
• Yéremy Pino and Christantus Uche – 1 shot apiece

Devenny’s two attempts and one shot on target underline his role as one of Palace’s more threatening outlets, while Wharton also forced a save. Mateta, despite registering two shots, couldn’t work the keeper, which is key for anyone who backed him in shots‑on‑target markets.

On the goals and assists front, every Palace player is listed with 0 goals and 0 assists. Their lack of end product is exactly what cost them in this one – reasonable shot volume from a few players, but no cutting edge.

Corners and Territorial Shifts

The corner stats in this match were more balanced than in the Leeds–Sunderland clash, but still tell a useful story:

• Full-time corners: Crystal Palace (home) 3 – 2 Tottenham (away)
• First half corners: Palace 0 – 1 Spurs
• Second half corners: Palace 3 – 1 Spurs

Spurs edged the corners in the first half as they pushed for and then protected their lead, but Palace came back strongly on that front after the break, winning 3–1 in second‑half corners. That’s exactly what you’d expect from a home side chasing an equaliser – more time spent in the attacking third and more set‑pieces.

For in‑play corner bettors, the swing from 0–1 in the first half to 3–1 in the second half in Palace’s favour is a reminder of how game state drives these numbers. Once Spurs were ahead, they were happy to sit a little deeper, and Palace racked up corners while trying to get back into it.

Reading the Match From the Numbers

From the data, this looks very much like a professional away performance:

• Spurs took an early chance through Archie Gray, assisted by Richarlison.
• They generated enough shots on target to keep Palace honest – Bentancur, Gray, Richarlison, Odobert and Porro all hit the target at least once.
• Palace did lift their intensity in the second half – reflected in corners and shot attempts – but couldn’t convert that into a goal.

For betting angles:

• Anytime goalscorer: Archie Gray cashed tickets as the lone scorer.
• Assist markets: Richarlison’s assist made him the only winner there.
• Shots on target: Devenny, Wharton, Gray, Bentancur, Richarlison, Odobert and Porro all featured – value across both teams for those who picked the right names.
• Corners: A tight 3–2 finish to Palace, with a clear second‑half skew in their favour.

In short, Spurs weren’t dominant in every metric, but they were clinical where it mattered and controlled the scoreline once they moved in front.