Leeds United v Burnley team news: Two changes against Clarets but over half a team including Patrick Bamford remain out

Diego Llorente and Junior Firpo return to the Leeds United side for Sunday's Premier League clash against Burnley at Elland Road for which the Whites still have over half a team missing.
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Llorente and Firpo were among ten Whites absentees for the club's most recent fixture against Arsenal on December 18, after which United saw their next two games postponed due to a small outbreak of coronavirus within the Leeds camp.

Llorente missed out against the Gunners having tested for positive for Covid-19 and Firpo was suspended but the duo return to the XI for Sunday's clash against the Clarets as Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa makes two changes to his side.

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Cody Drameh and Joe Gelhardt come out of the XI, Drameh not involved and Gelhardt dropping to the bench as Tyler Roberts is given the nod upfront, flanked by Jack Harrison and Raphinha either side of Mateusz Klich.

NEW YEAR: Leeds United's players check out the Elland Road pitch for their first clash of 2022 against Burnley. Picture by Tony Johnson.NEW YEAR: Leeds United's players check out the Elland Road pitch for their first clash of 2022 against Burnley. Picture by Tony Johnson.
NEW YEAR: Leeds United's players check out the Elland Road pitch for their first clash of 2022 against Burnley. Picture by Tony Johnson.

Dan James is also back involved having missed the Gunners clash with an adductor muscle injury but only returns to the bench and Leeds still have over half a team missing.

Kalvin Phillips, Liam Cooper and Patrick Bamford all suffered hamstring injuries during the 2-2 draw at home to Brentford at the beginning of the month and Bielsa has revealed that he expects Phillips and Cooper to be out until March.

Bamford is close to making a return but is not involved.

The list of absentees is completed by Rodrigo (heel), Pascal Struijk (foot), Jamie Shackleton (Achilles) and Charlie Cresswell (shoulder).

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Harrison keeps his place in the XI having been withdrawn in the 31st minute of the clash against the Gunners in which Leeds fell to a 4-1 defeat whilst Stuart Dallas makes his 250th appearance for the Whites, six and a half years after making his Leeds debut against the Clarets in a Championship fixture of August 2015.

Clarets boss Sean Dyche has named an unchanged side but Maxwel Cornet, Kevin Long and Jay Rodriguez all return to the bench - the latter duo returning from Covid-19.

Nick Pope and Josh Brownhill remain out having tested positive positive for coronavirus, joining the injured Ashley Barnes and ill Connor Roberts on the sidelines.

Leeds United: Meslier, Ayling, Llorente, Koch, Firpo, Forshaw, Dallas, Raphinha, Harrison, Klich, Roberts. Subs: Klaesson, Hjelde, Moore, Jenkins, Bate, James, Summerville, Gelhardt, Greenwood.

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Burnley: Hennessey, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Gudmundsson, Westwood, Cork, McNeil, Lennon, Wood. Subs: Norris, Stephens, Rodriguez, Cornet, Collins, Pieters, Bardsley, Vydra, Long.

Referee: Paul Tierney.

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