Leeds United will aim to close the gap to the top of the EFL Championship table when they welcome Burnley to Elland Road on Saturday.
A highly anticipated Championship match at Elland Road on Saturday will pit two of the leading candidates for promotion, Leeds United and Burnley, against one another. Both clubs are focused on reclaiming the Premier League. Leeds intend to maintain their streak of consecutive wins, while Burnley seek to recover from a recent decline in performance.
Leeds United are resolute in their quest to achieve promotion this season, following their narrow miss in the previous season when they were defeated by Southampton in the playoff final by a single goal. Under the leadership of seasoned manager Daniel Farke, the Whites are aiming to secure the Championship for the second consecutive campaign.
The commencement of their 2024/25 season was marked by instability, starting with a 2-2 draw against recently promoted Portsmouth at Elland Road, then followed by a goalless deadlock against West Bromwich Albion. Nevertheless, Leeds has subsequently established their own rhythm, achieving straight 2-0 wins against Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday and Hull City.
Having won their first four matches without losing once, Leeds have amassed a total of eight points and now occupy the fourth position in the Championship standings, trailing Sunderland by four points behind the early leaders. Given that important players from the previous season, such as Georginio Rutter, Crysencio Summerville, and Archie Gray, have graduated to the Premier League, Leeds will depend on new acquisitions Manor Solomon and Largie Ramazani to spearhead their offensive efforts in the upcoming season.
Having achieved dominance in the Championship in the 2022/23 season under Vincent Kompany with a total of 101 points, Burnley are now facing a more demanding challenge. The responsibility of leading the Clarets back to the Premier League at the first request has been assumed by Scott Parker.
Burnley began the season in impressive style, securing consecutive wins over Luton Town and Cardiff City, with a record-breaking 9-1 score advantage over their opponents. Nevertheless, they were confronted with a harsh reality, as they only managed to secure a single point in their subsequent two matches against Sunderland and local rivals Blackburn Rovers.
Lyle Foster, a regular goalscoring danger for Burnley in the Premier League during the previous season, scored his inaugural goal of the season in the East Lancashire derby. Despite Foster’s diligent efforts, Blackburn were able to salvage a point due to an exceptional goal scored by Andreas Weimann.
Burnley are in sixth place in the Championship standings as they enter a hectic schedule after the international break. In order to surpass Leeds in the early season rankings, the Clarets would need to secure a victory at Elland Road.
The summer transfer business of the club targeted the acquisition of established Championship players, resulting in the addition of John Egan, Zian Flemming, and Josh Laurent to the squad. The Hard Tackle explores the possible lineups and strategies for this much-awaited match.
Team News & Tactics
Leeds United
Leeds United are expected to set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation for their clash against Burnley. Illan Meslier will once again start in goal, providing a reliable presence between the posts. The defensive line will feature Jayden Bogle at right-back, Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk as the central defensive partnership, and Junior Firpo continuing his role at left-back in the absence of Isaac Schmidt.
In midfield, Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu will anchor the engine room, tasked with breaking up play and distributing the ball forward. In the attacking midfield trio, Wilfried Gnonto will operate on the right wing, Brenden Aaronson will take up the central attacking midfield role, and Manor Solomon will provide width and creativity on the left wing.
Up front, Mateo Joseph, fresh from scoring his first goal of the season, will lead the line as the lone striker, aiming to build on his recent form and provide the finishing touch to Leeds’s attacking moves.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Firpo; Gruev, Ampadu; Gnonto, Aaronson, Solomon; Joseph
Burnley
Burnley are expected to line up in a 4-5-1 formation for their visit to Elland Road. In goal, James Trafford will retain his position, providing security between the posts. The backline will feature Connor Roberts at right-back, Finley Burns partnering with CJ Egan-Riley at the heart of the defence, and Vitinho Pires at left-back, completing the defensive setup.
In midfield, Josh Laurent and Josh Brownhill will take up central roles. Luca Koleosho will operate on the left flank, and Jaidon Anthony will bring flair on the right.
Leading the attack will be Lyle Foster, Burnley’s main target man, who will look to add to his goal tally and spearhead the Clarets’ offensive efforts in what is expected to be a closely contested match. Hannibal Mejbri should provide him with support.
Probable Lineup (4-4-1-1): Trafford; Roberts, Worrall, Egan-Riley, Pires; Anthony, Laurent, Brownhill, Koleosho; Hannibal; Foster
Key Stats
- Leeds United have won three of their last four league meetings with Burnley, all in the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa between December 2020 and January 2022.
- Burnley have lost seven of their last nine league visits to Elland Road against Leeds (W1 D1), with their only win during this period coming under Sean Dyche in September 2013, a 2-1 victory.
- Leeds United have averaged 58% possession in the Championship this season, the second-highest behind Swansea City (59.3%). The Whites also lead in completed passes (1,823), pass accuracy (86.3%), and percentage of short passes played (7.5%).
- Despite taking only 39 shots (the third-lowest in the Championship this season), Burnley have scored 10 goals, making them joint top scorers. They also have the best shot conversion ratio (25.6%) and have exceeded their expected goals total by 6.7 goals (10 goals vs. 3.3 xG).
- Leeds defender Pascal Struijk has completed the most passes in the Championship this season with 305, while Burnley’s Maxime Esteve ranks fifth with 283. Of the 169 players to attempt 100+ passes this season, Esteve has the best pass accuracy (96%).
Player to Watch
Wilfried Gnonto
Wilfried Gnonto will be the player to watch in Leeds United’s clash against Burnley. The young Italian forward has been a crucial figure for Leeds since his arrival, showcasing his pace, creativity, and ability to influence games in the final third. Gnonto has been instrumental in Leeds’s recent upturn in form, providing a dynamic option on the wings and consistently creating chances for his teammates.
His dribbling ability and quick acceleration make him a nightmare for defenders, and his versatility allows him to shift between roles across the frontline. With the departures of key players like Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville, Gnonto has stepped up as one of the main attacking outlets for Daniel Farke’s side this season.
In a match where Leeds will look to dominate possession and break down Burnley’s defence, Gnonto’s flair and direct approach could be pivotal in unlocking the opposition and creating goal-scoring opportunities.
Prediction
Leeds United 2-1 Burnley
Leeds United have shown a marked improvement after a slow start to the season and will be confident heading into this fixture on the back of consecutive wins. Daniel Farke’s side now looks like genuine top-two contenders, and with the added boost of playing at Elland Road, they will be aiming for a third straight Championship victory.
Burnley, while still dangerous, have not looked as formidable as they did when they dominated the Championship under Vincent Kompany in the 2022/23 season. Scott Parker’s charges have struggled for consistency in recent games, and despite their attacking talent, they may find it difficult to break down a resilient Leeds defense.
In what is expected to be a closely contested match, Leeds’s home advantage and momentum could prove the difference, with the Whites edging it 2-1.
