The versatility running through the heart of Leeds United’s team of chameleons is at the core of their late 2025 revival. If anything sums that up, it is the equalising goal they scored at Sunderland on Sunday afternoon.

A run of six defeats in seven matches had manager Daniel Farke on the brink, but he and his team have shown critics they can adapt to their surroundings and change tactics on the fly to stay in the Premier League.

Since the switch to a 5-3-2 at Etihad Stadium on November 29, there has been fight, physicality, set pieces, match-changing substitutions, effective formation pivots, long balls, second balls, Joe Rodon down the wing and, now, 11-player team goals from back to front.

Going direct, from box to box in one pass or two, precipitated this climb away from danger, but the nuance and in-game shifts from Farke, executed by the players, are what have made December’s five-match unbeaten streak all the more impressive. They can go long, they can fight, they can deliver a dead ball, but Leeds can write poetry, too.

“We need to find a good balance because we can also be direct,” Farke said in his post-match press conference after the 1-1 draw at Sunderland. “We’ve spoken about this. This was also sometimes the key to score goals or to attack in the last weeks.

“We scored goals and created set-piece situations, but you need to get the balance right. If you’re just waiting for set pieces, long balls and second balls, this is too simple.”

It was a move which, ironically, began with a high ball. Sunderland had dropped one into United’s defensive third and Jaka Bijol, one of the key drivers in this Leeds renaissance, calmly nodded it down to captain Ethan Ampadu.

The 25-year-old skipper has been a constant source of reassurance, when fit, in the Farke era, but his level has undoubtedly risen in recent matches.

Ampadu’s intelligence, tenacity, composure and technical surety have seen him match, if not best, players such as Granit Xhaka, Jordan Henderson, Ryan Gravenberch and Enzo Fernandez of late.

He steadied the ball, moved it to Ao Tanaka, who went wider to Jayden Bogle, who pushed it back inside to Bijol.

From Bijol to Lucas Perri, then Pascal Struijk, Leeds stroked the ball across the face of their goal, despite the Sunderland press closing in.

They could have launched it, but didn’t. They took their time, teasing home players out of position. Gabriel Gudmundsson, who, until Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s recent surge, was shaping up to be United’s best summer signing, gave Struijk the bounce pass to get out of their tightening left corner.

Coming out of that tight spot saw the field open up. Struijk could fizz the ball into Noah Okafor, who had dropped deep to receive and show off his flair with a backheel pass to Anton Stach.