Danny Mills makes 8-player Leeds United point that could topple 'masters' Burnley
Leeds United have a massive chance to cement their Championship promotion credentials at Turf Moor.
Danny Mills believes Leeds United have the attacking quality to beat defensive ‘masters’ Burnley in what is expected to be a tight game this evening.
Leeds can open up a significant gap on their Championship promotion rivals tonight, with victory at Turf Moor pulling them four points clear of second-placed Sheffield United and six clear of Burnley in third. Daniel Farke’s side will be top at full-time regardless but have a massive opportunity to distance themselves from the chasing pack.
Doing so will be no easy task, however, with Burnley unbeaten since November and yet to taste defeat at home all season. The key to that run has been an iron-clad defence that has conceded just nine goals in 28 games - less than half the 19 Leeds have let in.
Burnley are on course to end this season as the meanest defence in Championship history, with six straight league clean sheets only furthering that status. But rarely have Scott Parker’s side come up against an attack as dangerous as this evening, something Mills believes could prove the difference.
“[It’s] going to be very, very difficult – Burnley [are] the masters of keeping clean sheets, aren’t they? Defensively very very solid, tough game for both teams,” Mills told talkSPORT on Monday morning. “Leeds have four forward players that are fantastic and can change those four for another four at any point. I think it’ll be tight, I think it could be 1-0 either way.”
With Leeds boasting the Championship’s second strongest defence - albeit one some way behind Burnley - this evening’s clash will almost certainly be tight. September’s reverse fixture at Elland Road was decided by one goal and an unfortunate Manor Solomon slip, with both sides able to shut out opposition attacks with relative comfort.
But the difference for Leeds this season has been their attack, with a lot of Burnley’s dropped points coming via goalless draws. The Clarets have seen eight of their games finish 0-0 which, coupled with two 1-0 defeats, means they have dropped 22 points as a result of failing to score.
Leeds, meanwhile, have only failed to score in five league games and much of that has been due to the wealth of options Farke can call on. Solomon and Dan James are currently nailed on as first-choice when fully fit, with the pair combining to both score during Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Norwich City.
In the previous weekend’s 3-0 win at home to Sheffield Wednesday, Largie Ramazani was able to come off the bench to score Leeds’ second before setting up Ao Tanaka. And while Willy Gnonto has been less influential in recent weeks, the Italian was outstanding during the first-half of the season and will expect to come good again before May.
It remains to be seen which two wingers Farke will pick this evening, with plenty of rest from Wednesday possibly allowing him to go unchanged. But the German could just as easily switch both up and expect the same level of performance regardless.