Leeds United's Under-23s held by Burnley at Elland Road as Whites stars step up return

Leeds United winger Jordan Stevens in action at Elland Road. (Credit: LUFC)

Marcelo Bielsa made a number of first team players available for the clash as Liam Cooper, Jamie Shackleton and Jack Clarke started the fixture with Tyler Roberts named on the bench.

United began the game on the front foot and had a deserved breakthrough shortly before the half hour mark.

Summer signing Liam McCarron swung in an inviting ball from the left with striker Ryan Edmondson rising highest to power a header underneath Clarets stopper Lukas Jensen.

Burnley thought they had responded just moments later as Lewis Richardson broke free at the back post but he saw his strike chalked off by an offside flag.

Rob Harker then saw a header fly over the bar from inside the six-yard box as the visitors provided an energetic response to the opening goal.

Carlos Corberan opted to make a triple substitution at the half-time break as Tyler Roberts, Robbie Gotts and Leif Davis replaced Clarke, Cooper and Shackleton.

It was again Burnley who fired a warning shot following the interval as Ali Koiki struck an effort from distance which clipped Illan Meslier's crossbar with the goalkeeper rooted to his line.

The visitors finally hauled themselves level on the hour as Josh Benson sent the United stopper the wrong way from the penalty spot following a clumsy tackle from Pascal Struijk on Richardson.

The Whites mustered a response through substitute Roberts and goalscorer Edmondson as Leeds went in search of a late winner.

United, though, failed to snatch all three points under the lights in LS11 with Corberan's side now winless in their last five outings in all competitions ahead of next week's clash with table-toppers Nottingham Forest.

Leeds United: Meslier, Shackleton (Gotts 45), McCarron, Casey, Struijk, Cooper (Davis 45), Stevens, McCalmont, Edmondson, Bogusz, Clarke (Roberts 45). Subs: Miazek, Jenkins.

Burnley: Jensen, Cooney, Koiki, Phillips, Wilson, Glennon, Benson, N'Guessan. Harker, Richardson, Tucker. Subs: McMahon, Bayode, Mumbongo, Patterson, Goodridge.