The stakes are high as Leeds United prepares to meet promotion rivals Burnley.
This is the big one. Tomorrow’s trip to Burnley gives Leeds United with an excellent opportunity to pull ahead in the automatic promotion battle.
Victory at Turf Moor would put the Whites four points ahead of Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United, who suffered a shock setback on Friday evening. Leeds still have a lot of work to do if they want to return to the Premier League.
Both Leeds and Burnley are in fantastic form heading into the game. Both are under pressure to get promoted this season. The stakes are enormous, and Daniel Farke is fully aware of the magnitude of the challenge confronting his Whites stars.
“Burnley are definitely one of the top sides in this division,” the coach stated. “They played in the Premier League previous season and are among the top contenders for promotion.
“They have a good group, many seasoned players, individual quality, and a very experienced manager who understands what it takes to win promotion to the Premier League.
“They are ambitious, have a pretty strong side, and are very solid defenders. We are looking forward to a terrific game.
An added bonus for Farke as they approach what could be their most important match of the season? They have a minor injury list.
Farke’s only senior players who will be unavailable against Burnley are vice captain Pascal Struijk and scorer Patrick Bamford. Struijk has missed the last two matches owing to a hamstring injury, but Farke expects the centre-back to return to team training soon.
“The re-scan was very good [for Pascal Struijk],” Farke told me. “Because the tendon is not engaged in this injury, we can proceed more freely. “He’s already doing individual things outside.”
Bamford is expected to make his first-team return in early February. Farke regards Bamford highly and believes the forward can still play an important role in their promotion campaign.
Struijk and Bamford will offer valuable experience to the group as it prepares for the challenges ahead. The cavalry is coming!
