MX23RW : Friday, January 24 01:35:48| >> :120:20993:20993:
[monks data]
Burnley logo
Championship
Mar 15, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Leeds logo

2-1

Pearce (38' og.), Arfield (67')
FT(HT: 1-1)
McCormack (27')

Preview: Burnley vs. Leeds United

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship clash between high-flying Burnley and troubled Leeds at Turf Moor.

Burnley will be looking to take another step towards automatic promotion from the Championship this Saturday when they host Leeds United at Turf Moor.

The Clarets are currently second in the table with a comfortable eight-point gap now separating them from third-placed Derby County.

Manager Sean Dyche could be looking up the table rather than down it as they now trail leaders Leicester City by just seven points, albeit having played a game more.

Burnley come into this encounter on the back of an 11-match unbeaten streak in all competitions, while they haven't tasted defeat in the league since Boxing Day, 13 games ago.

They have only lost three times all season, which is a tally only Premier League leaders Chelsea can match out of the 92 teams in the top four divisions of English football.

Their home form is just as impressive, having not been beaten in any of the 17 league games at Turf Moor so far this season.

However, Dyche will need to pick his side up after they saw three points snatched from their grasp deep into second-half stoppage time in a 3-3 draw against Birmingham City on Wednesday.

The hosts received more bad news in that game as Danny Ings, the league's second top scorer behind Leeds striker Ross McCormack, picked up a knock that could rule him out of Saturday's clash.

January signing Ashley Barnes could come in for the prolific attacker, while Michael Kightly is also expected to return to the starting lineup.

Leeds, meanwhile, are a club in turmoil both on and off the field as their protracted takeover talks continue to make frustrating headlines for the fans.

A brief upturn in form at the start of February has well and truly been quelled by a five-match winless streak that has seen them drop down to 15th in the table and out of playoff contention.

Tuesday's 4-2 home defeat to Reading made it two defeats on the trot with nine goals conceded in that time for Brian McDermott's side, and he won't be too optimistic about improving those figures at Turf Moor.

Leeds have only found the back of the net once in their last three away outings, while their 2-1 win over Yeovil Town at Huish Park last month is their only win on the road in their last eight attempts in all competitions.

McDermott has no new injury concerns ahead of this weekend's match, but he could opt to make a number of changes to his side anyway, bringing in the likes of Cameron Stewart and Stephen Warnock.

Recent form

Burnley: WDWWWD

Leeds: WLDDLL

Possible starting lineups

Burnley: Heaton; Trippier, Shackell, Duff, Mee; Jones, Marney; Arfield, Barnes, Kightly; Vokes

Leeds: Butland; Byram, Pearce, Lees, Warnock; Austin, Murphy; Stewart, Mowatt, McCormack; Wickham

Sports Mole says: 3-0


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Written by
Barney Corkhill
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Brian McDermott. manager of Leeds United looks on during the Sky Bet Championship match between Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United at Hillsborough Stadium on January 11, 2014
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds28178353193459
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd28186440182258
3Burnley28151123692756
4Sunderland28159440221854
5Middlesbrough28128846341244
6Blackburn RoversBlackburn28126103126542
7West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom2891453324941
8Watford28125113939041
9Bristol City2891183533238
10Queens Park RangersQPR2891183235-338
11Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds28108104045-538
12Norwich CityNorwich2899104341236
13Coventry CityCoventry2898113737035
14Oxford UnitedOxford Utd2898113343-1035
15Swansea CitySwansea2897123135-434
16Preston North EndPreston2871383035-534
17Millwall27710102626031
18Portsmouth2778123546-1129
19Stoke CityStoke28610122636-1028
20Cardiff CityCardiff28610123143-1228
21Derby CountyDerby2876153138-727
22Hull City2868142738-1126
23Luton TownLuton2875162947-1826
24Plymouth ArgylePlymouth2849152560-3521


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