Leeds United 3-1 Burnley - recap: Marcelo Bielsa reaction as Whites record vital Elland Road victory

Leeds United host Burnley in the Premier League at Elland Road this afternoon as Marcelo Bielsa's men return to action following an enforced 15-day break.
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Stay up to date throughout today's Premier League clash in LS11 with the Yorkshire Evening Post live blog below...

Leeds United vs Burnley - LIVE BLOG

Key Events

  • Leeds host Burnley at Elland Road
  • Whites back in action after 15-day break
  • Clarets five points behind Leeds in drop zone
  • Kick-off in LS11 is at 2pm
  • ------------------------------------------------------
  • Leeds United 3-1 Burnley

We’ve arrived inside Elland Road and it feels good to be back after a 15-day break from action for Leeds United.

We’ll have all the build-up, in-game updates and post-match reaction below throughout the day.

Early Leeds United team news

Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper are out until March with hamstring problems.

Junior Firpo, Diego Llorente and Daniel James are back available again with Jack Harrison having shaken off a knock picked up against Arsenal last time out.

Patrick Bamford is fit again after a month out but lacks match fitness. Pascal Struijk, Jamie Shackleton, Charlie Cresswell and Rodrigo remain out.

Early Burnley team news

Top goalscorer Maxwel Cornet is set to be assessed as he nears a return from a thigh issue in his final outing before AFCON involvement.

The Clarets have had Covid within the camp but should see a number of players return after a period of isolation.

Kevin Long is back available for selection though Josh Brownhill remains out after a positive test.

What Marcelo Bielsa has said

“Every game that we play from here on out will be important,” said Bielsa.

“The ones that we have played beforehand are the ones that position us where we are, and the game on Sunday is a great opportunity to redirect where the campaign is going.”

He added on whether the break may have been of benefit: “The illness of a group of players can never be considered positive, even after alternative consequences that can be valued - what provokes it is sufficiently serious to not value it.”

What Sean Dyche has said

“They had such a flying season last season and they set the bar very high with the way they played, their performance levels,” Dyche said.

“It is not easy to do that season on season in the Premier League.

“I think they probably knew and were realistic that there is a challenge, that it might be a tougher season.

“They’ve got more points than us currently and they’ve managed to get wins on the table.

“They’re a decent outfit, but they’re maybe not purring as much as they were last season.”

Predicted Leeds United line-up

YEP XI (3-3-1-3): Meslier; Ayling, Llorente, Koch; Dallas, Forshaw, Firpo; Raphinha, Roberts, James; Gelhardt.

Liam Cooper’s programme notes

“Today we’ve got an opportunity to produce a positive performance on home soil against Burnley,” Cooper writes.

“Prior to our defeat against Arsenal, we hadn’t lost at Elland Road since September, so now it is time to begin a new run.

“The home games are massive with you behind us and we firmly believe we will pick up plenty of points here between now and the end of the season.”

Bielsa’s programme notes

“Burnley have a very experienced manager in Sean Dyche and, during his long tenure, have become an established team in the Premier League,” Bielsa writes.

“Like their manager, they also have a lot of experienced players at this level well and while they find themselves currently in position lower than ourselves in the league, we are expecting a very tough game.

“However, if we able to play at the high level we have shown in a number of matches this season, there is no reason why we cannot come away with a positive result.”

Leeds squad arrive at Elland Road

Forshaw, Klich and Roberts out first.

Some U23s follow - Jenkins, Bate, Moore, Hjelde, Van Den Heuvel. Joffy, Greenwood and Summerville too.

Robin Koch and Kriftoffer Klaesson here as well.

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