Leeds United vs Burnley – Preview, Lineups, Key Men And Score Prediction
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Fixture: Leeds United vs Burnley
Competition: Premier League
Kick-off: 1st May, 20:00 UK time
Leeds United welcome Burnley to Elland Road under the lights this evening looking to brush off FA Cup disappointment and secure Premier League safety.
Burnley, having become the second side to have their relegation confirmed, have nothing left to play for this campaign, and Leeds United will want to join them in that state promptly, but with the comfort and a sense of achievement by being on the other side of the dreaded dotted line.
Forty points is the magic number that has guaranteed safety historically, and while Leeds find themselves at the sweet spot, mathematically even Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and Sunderland above them are yet to secure their Premier League status for another season.
Despite confidence that they could get a result against Chelsea, Leeds will not be facing Manchester City in the final now, paying the price for a largely lacklustre display in the first half. Daniel Farke will need to motivate his side after the result, as a finish higher up the table can have ramifications in terms of confidence for next season, and projecting themselves as an attractive project for summer targets.
The penultimate home fixture for the season gives the Leeds players a chance to bring the focus back to Elland Road from Wembley, a venue at which the fans might be forgiven for wondering if their luck will ever change, whilst simultaneously thanking the faithful for their support throughout the season.
Scott Parker has now departed as Burnley boss, while Steven Gerrard is being touted for a return to management in English football with the Clarets.
Connor Roberts, Josh Cullen and Jordan Beyer are out for Burnley while Zeki Amdouni, after an ACL injury, and Hannibal are back in training.
Ilia Gruev is out while Gabriel Gudmundsson is a doubt with a hamstring concern for Leeds and there is uncertainty over Noah Okafor and Jaka Bijol.
Predicted Lineups
Recent Form (league)
Leeds United: DWWDD
Wolves: LLLLD
Key Men
Leeds United
Pascal Struijk’s minor misstep led to Chelsea’s goal in the FA Cup and the defender will welcome the opportunity to put that behind with another game of football and solid defending.
Ethan Ampadu might rightly feel aggrieved, after another goalkeeper going down as a tactical move led to the Leeds captain attempting to counter that move by inserting himself into Calum McFarlane’s pep talk. Ampadu, having urged his side to use the pain of their FA Cup semi-final defeat as fuel for the final push in their Premier League survival bid, will want to show that games of football can be won without having to resort to underhand tactics. He has also made clear that Leeds should not be losing twice to Burnley in a season.
Brenden Aaronson, after a brief period during which quietened critics and brimmed with confidence, has the monkey back on his back after missing a good chance to put Leeds ahead in the first half against Chelsea. Aaronson can do worse than to resolve to start the process all over again, beginning with Burnley.
Burnley
Jaidon Anthony is one of the few Burnley attackers that is capable of earning a move purely on the merit of his performances. Anthony will want to add to his seven goals and three assists, to keep showing that he does not deserve to go down with the Clarets.
Florentino Luis, who was a Leeds target last summer, revealed that he dreams of making Portugal’s squad for the World Cup in February. Luis will want to make the most of his compressed time on the pitch, if and when he comes off the bench.
Quilindschy Hartman was linked with a move to Ajax in the winter window. Hartman will want to do the utmost to showcase himself to potential buyers, especially if he does not fancy a season in the Championship.
Match Prediction
Farke has already proved doubters wrong on one count this season, that he is capable of being a Premier League manager, rather than just a promotion specialist for the Championship.
It now remains to be seen if he is eager to take the next step, that of being a manager of a club looking to push up the table, and Burnley provide the ideal opportunity to trial his methods for next season if he so wishes.
Farke might be ruing his decision not to rotate against Bournemouth, which might have led to Dominic Calvert-Lewin looking leggy against Chelsea at a minimum, or for giving the Blues too much respect in the first half, as his side looked more competitive in the second half. Hopefully, it is a lesson learnt, and the Whites fans will be waiting with bated breath to witness the next phase of development for both their side and Farke.
Burnley represent the sort of fixture Leeds can expect to encounter next season, as more sides are likely to give the Whites more respect, on the back of this season’s showing. Farke will need to be more willing to take risks, to not only gain the same results, but also to meet the growing expectations of fans.
A win against Burnley will allow Leeds a chance to mathematically guarantee survival against Tottenham Hotspur in their next fixture, and fans cannot imagine a more befitting and assertive manner to announce their arrival back into the big league, this time for good.
Whether Farke sees the fixture the same way remains to be seen, but for the sake of Leeds fans, the German hopefully finds a way to motivate his squad if he insists on looking downwards rather than upwards. Leeds though, remain likely to prevail, mostly due to the fact that Burnley interim boss Mike Jackson has even fewer options at hand.
Inside Futbol Score Prediction
Leeds United 2-0 Burnley
Where To Watch?
Leeds United vs Burnley in the Premier League will be broadcast live on the Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Ultra HDR channels with a kick-off of 20:00 UK time.
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