Leeds United vs. Burnley
Venue: Elland Road
Kick off: 1PM
Leeds United will be looking to bounce back from last weekend’s heavy defeat to Manchester United when they welcome Burnley to Elland Road in the Premier League this afternoon.
The Whites currently sit 15th in the table, having picked up 17 points from their 14 matches this term, while in-form Burnley are 16th, four points behind their opponents this weekend with a game in hand.
Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa has insisted that his team will not be changing their approach despite suffering a 6-2 defeat to Man United last weekend.
The Red Devils ran riot at Old Trafford but suggestions that the Whites could alter their playing style have been firmly shut down by Bielsa.
In many ways, Leeds have been the entertainers in the Premier League this season, scoring 24 times and conceding 30, picking up 17 points from their 14 matches to sit 14th in the table.
The promoted club are seven points clear of the bottom three heading into the Boxing Day fixtures and have won five times in the league this term, which is a solid return taking everything into consideration.
The Whites will fancy their chances of picking up positive results in their next two games with Burnley and West Bromwich Albion, but it is difficult to know what to expect from the Yorkshire club, who have beaten Newcastle 5-2 and lost 6-2 to Man United in their last two fixtures in England’s top flight.
Burnley, on the other hand, will enter this weekend’s contest in strong form, picking up eight points from their last four matches with Everton, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers, beating the latter 2-1 on Monday night.
Sean Dyche’s side have won at Arsenal and drawn with Villa in their last two league matches on the road, and a strong run has allowed them to move three points clear of the relegation zone with a game in hand.
Goals have been a real issue for the Clarets this term – finding the back of the net in just eight of their 13 matches – and the fact that their leading scorer in the league this season is Chris Wood with three goals is a concern, particularly considering that Ashley Barnes, Jay Rodriguez, Dwight McNeil and Matej Vydra have just one between them.
Burnley, who will host Sheffield United and Fulham in their next two matches, are actually unbeaten in the league against Leeds since April 2013, winning three of their last four encounters, which all came in the Championship.
Leeds United possible XI: Meslier, Dallas, Ayling, Llorente, Alioski, Harrison, Klich, Phillips, Rodrigo, Raphinha, Bamford.
Burnley possible XI: Pope, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Brady, Westwood, Brownhill, McNeil, Barnes, Wood.