Sunderland manager David Moyes on the January transfer window

Brighton’s goalscorer Glenn Murray told Sky Sports: “They are a quality side. They put us under pressure in the second half and we are happy to come out with a point. We had to work hard.”

Garry Monk insists the approach of his Leeds team will be no different despite the fact they welcome Sky Bet Championship leaders Newcastle to Elland Road on Sunday.

A routine Premier League fixture until 12 years ago, the Magpies head to Yorkshire in fine form having won their last seven league outings.

Leeds themselves occupy a play-off spot going into the weekend, although that is likely to change before the lunchtime kick-off on Sunday.

Rafael Benitez may be overseeing a successful start to the season at St James’ Park but Monk is keen to treat the visit of Newcastle as just another game.

“On paper this will be the toughest test of the season, they are top of the league, which means they have been the best team so far,” the Leeds boss said at his pre-match press conference.

“They have high calibre players and a high calibre manager, they have the most expensive team in the league, so you would expect them to be where they are.

“Our approach is no different, our job is to give 100% and try and put our best football on the pitch and we know that when we do that we can fight for a result.

“We have a capacity crowd ready to support the team, we want to send people home happy and we are going out there determined to win the game.”

Sunderland have been linked with a double raid on Irish outfit Dundalk – but manager David Moyes is remaining tight-lipped about plans for the January transfer window.

Moyes will need to strengthen his squad in the new year, with bottom-of-the-table Sunderland again scrapping for survival.

But the Sunderland boss is giving little away ahead of a crucial run of fixtures.

It comes as Sunderland have been linked with Dundalk duo Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle – and the Black Cats could even pip bitter rivals Newcastle United to one player.

“I think it is better if we wait,” said Moyes, when asked about the transfer window generally.

“We will give everybody more information later on, but, at the moment, we have the group of players we have got.

“We have a few back from injury.

“We have a group of young players and one or two of them are showing signs of doing better.

“Hopefully we can use that and get some momentum going between now and January.

“When January comes we will see what happens then.”

Transfer funds will be limited in January, while the club is also close to the financial fair play cap for wages, but Sunderland will look to improve the squad.

Winger Horgan and Boyle are the latest in a long line of players linked with a move to Wearside.

The duo were both called into Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland squad for the recent World Cup qualifier against Austria, though neither made it off the bench.

Horgan has gained the most headlines lately, with Newcastle understood to be tracking the player’s progress.

However, reports suggest Sunderland are very keen on the 24-year-old, who has scored 10 goals for Dundalk this season, and has impressed on the Europa League stage.

Rangers, Aston Villa and Birmingham City have also scouted Horgan.

Boyle, meanwhile, has emerged as another potential target. The centre-back has also impressed this season in the Irish league, and Scottish club Rangers are also believed to be keen on him.

The 25-year-old has been capped at Under-19 level for Ireland.

David Moyes has previous in spotting young Irish talent, having signed Seamus Coleman from Sligo Rovers for £60,000 when he was Everton boss.

And Sunderland raided Ireland under Steve Bruce’s management to sign James McClean in 2011.