Premier League: Can New Year Clash Provide a Welcome Tonic?

Leeds United vs Burnley

There is a certain irony I am covering this Premier League encounter between Leeds and Burnley during the festive period.

For when I reported on the meeting between the sides earlier in the season, I remarked that, if it had been a film, it would likely have been Scrooge as the ghost of ‘Christmas past’ came back to haunt Leeds before the man who is their very own ‘Christmas present’ drew them level.

Truth be told, life has provided few joys for either side since that late August meeting.

Yet a new year brings hope and hope springs eternal as two teams at the heart of the survival fight to begin 2022.

Talking Points

As I have pointed out before, this is very much a clash of styles as Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds host Sean Dyche and Burnley; Yorkshire versus Lancashire urged on by two of English football’s traditional fan bases.

There are far more similarities than differences this season mind.

For a start, both teams are struggling at the foot of the table and very much in need of points. Secondly, so far in 2021/22, both have been overly reliant on their own talisman.

Leeds, particularly, and there is no doubt the impact of Brazilian Raphinha has been crucial in ensuring they have managed to stay just above the drop zone.

Likewise, although to a lesser extent, Burnley have had their own new favourite in summer signing Maxwel Cornet.

Cornet has not actually featured for the Clarets since suffering a thigh injury at Newcastle United earlier this month before subsequently testing positive for Covid.

However, he is due to face Leeds on Sunday after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) made the decision to delay the departures of Premier League players for next month’s African Cup of Nations as a gesture of goodwill.

How crucial that could be for Dyche’s men as they look to create Premier League 2021 highlights and extend their fine form which has seen them lose only once in their last seven league games (granted, five of those matches have been draws).

Picking up points is the name of the game and that is what they have started to do in recent months as they bid to bounce back from a slow start and capitalise on games in hand on their rivals – Leeds included.

They currently trail this weekend’s opponents by five points but have played three games fewer.

The scene is set for a key battle which may not be pretty on the eye but could certainly be crucial in the overall standings come the end of the season.

History

This corresponding fixture almost a year to the weekend saw Leeds run out 1-0 winners, thanks to an early Patrick Bamford goal, in what was their first-ever clash in the Premier League.

Overall, Leeds have 33 successes, Burnley 18 triumphs and 12 draws.

These sides first met in September 1924 in the old First Division when they played out a 1-1 draw.

Burnley have not got a great record at Elland Road with only one success – 2-1 in 2013 courtesy of Scott Arfield and Sam Vokes goals – in their past eight visits.

They have won four and drawn two of their last nine league encounters, however, including a 1-0 win in April 2016 when an Arfield goal helped them on their way to promotion.

In the Leeds team that day was Chris Wood, who actually netted for Burnley against Leeds 17 months later in a 2-2 League Cup thriller. That match, though, went the way of Leeds in a penalty shoot-out.

It was a dramatic cup tie as Pablo Hernández gave Leeds the lead in the fourth minute of added time at the end of normal time before Wood equalised for Burnley two minutes later.

Betting Tip

	Leeds United vs Burnley	Over 2.50 @ 2.01
	January 2, 22:00 (GMT+8)

The SBOTOP Premier League 2021 betting odds make Leeds favourites, which is perhaps no surprise given that Burnley’s last top-flight win over Leeds was a 2-1 victory at Turf Moor in 1974.

The hosts are available to back 1X2 @ 2.18 and Asian Handicap -0.25 @ 1.88.

If you fancy the Clarets to start the New Year in style, how about Burnley 1X2 @ 3.05 or Asian Handicap + 0.25 @ 2.02.

A 1X2 draw is on offer @ 3.15, a repeat of last season’s fixture – Correct Score 1-0  –  @ 6.80 and a re-run of their meeting earlier this term – Correct Score 1-1  –  @ 5.60.

With the exception of bottom club, Norwich City, these two sides are the lowest scorers in the Premier League which could mean we are in for a low-scoring affair.

That said, Leeds have conceded aplenty this year (the third-worst defensive record), although have some mitigation in that they have had a horrendous run of injuries.

 

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