Failing in their quest for promotion to the Premier League last season – losing the playoff final at Wembley by a single goal to Southampton in May – Leeds United are on a mission to escape the Championship at the second attempt under the expert stewardship of Daniel Farke.
The Whites endured a lacklustre opening to the 2024-25 campaign, sharing the spoils with newly-promoted Portsmouth at Elland Road on the first weekend of the term, before a toothless attacking display resulted in a goalless draw at The Hawthorns against West Bromwich Albion on August 17.
Since then, though, Leeds have recorded back-to-back two-goal successes in the second tier to put a positive spin on their first batch of Championship fixtures, winning a Yorkshire derby at Sheffield Wednesday and securing a routine 2-0 win over Tim Walter‘s Hull City at Elland Road.
One of only four sides who are yet to be defeated in the division, the Whites have collected a healthy tally of eight points from the opening four contests, meaning that Saturday’s hosts currently occupy fourth position in the early standings, four points behind pacesetters Sunderland.
With stars of the 2023-24 term such as Georginio Rutter, Crysencio Summerville and Archie Gray all securing Premier League switches over the summer, Leeds will be relying on a new wave of attacking talent this season, including exciting wingers Manor Solomon and Largie Ramazani.
Cantering to 101 points and the Championship title under the tutelage of Vincent Kompany during their last season at this level, Burnley are preparing for a much sterner test from the second tier this time around, with Scott Parker tasked with taking the Lancashire club back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
After recording back-to-back victories over Luton Town and Cardiff City by an aggregate scoreline of 9-1 at the start of the term, the Clarets were brought down to the reality of second-tier existence before the international break, collecting just one point combined from matches against Sunderland and local rivals Blackburn Rovers.
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A consistent goalscoring threat in the Premier League during 2023-24, South Africa international Lyle Foster netted his maiden goal of the Championship campaign against John Eustace‘s side, who fought back for a share of the East Lancashire bragging rights courtesy of a wonder strike from Andreas Weimann.
Heading towards a hectic September and October schedule following the first international break of the season, Burnley are sitting sixth in the Championship table, with three points at Elland Road on Saturday enough for the Clarets to leapfrog Leeds in the early rankings.
The majority of Burnley’s summer business has been based around recruiting players who are proven at this level to complement the quality already within the squad, with John Egan, Zian Flemming and Josh Laurent all arriving at Turf Moor over the past two weeks.
