'Better team' Leeds United Women out to prove a point in Elland Road local derby

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Promotion-chasing Leeds United are the 'better team' in this Sunday's Elland Road derby against York City and want to show it to a bumper crowd.

Ex-Sunderland and Manchester City midfielder Sarah Danby has played in plenty of big games, including the 2008/09 Women’s FA Cup final, but running out at Elland Road will still be a significant moment in her career.

"Obviously, we're very excited," she told the YEP. "[We've known about it] for a week and a half or so, so short, but sweet. But it obviously means that we haven't been overthinking too much, but it gives us enough time to plan and organise and get ready for a massive occasion. It's amazing, really grateful that Leeds have given us that opportunity to play. It's the Yorkshire Derby against York and we're gonna have a point to prove. So we're all really, really excited and looking forward to it.

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"I think you've got to play the game, not the occasion as such, but you've also got to just enjoy the moment, enjoy the fact that we're here. To have all the family and stuff here, it's just a massive opportunity for us to show what we can do. It's a really proud moment, even for the non-Leeds fans in the squad to play at this ground. It's got so much history. We wear that badge, and play for this club, so we're all just really proud to be able to do that here."

Only one team goes up from the National League Division One North and Danby wants Leeds to show their promotion credentials when strugglers York visit. And while she admits their stations at either end of the table will go out the window in a clash of near-neighbours, Danby expects Leeds to show a 4,000-plus crowd what they can do.

"I think already we're gonna have the biggest crowd we've ever had in the last maybe five to 10 years, certainly," she said. "So it's a big crowd for us, we're gonna have to prove a point to them and show just how good we can play. We've played some games this season where I'm like, we can really play, and we need to just bring that game on the day.

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"Obviously, we’re aiming for promotion. We don't come into any season at Leeds United not looking to get promoted, and we're in and around it. The league is our focus, it's all about the league, and we want to be fighting for promotion, and certainly top three, absolute minimum. But only one goes up, so you've just got to go for that top spot.

"A local derby brings a bit of spice, doesn't it? York City are down near the bottom, but that kind of eradicates itself when you come to a derby like we all know, in any derby, anything can happen. Personally I think we're a better team, and we're here to win."

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