Leeds v Burnley: Team newspublished at 19:04 BST 1 May
19:04 BST 1 May
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has made three changes to the side that lost against Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.
Goalkeeper Lucas Perri, defender Gabriel Gudmundsson and midfielder Brenden Aaronson are replaced by Karl Darlow, James Justin and Anton Stach, who returns from a spell on the sidelines with an ankle injury.
In the opposite dugout, interim Burnley manager Michael Jackson has named the same XI that lost to Manchester City in the Premier League nine days ago.
Leeds v Burnley: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 11:21 BST 1 May
11:21 BST 1 May
Prudent Nsengiyumva BBC Sport journalist
Leeds United host Burnley on Friday (20:00 BST) needing the points to virtually end any relegation concerns. Burnley, already relegated and now managerless after Scott Parker left the club on Thursday, have little but pride at stake.
Can Leeds pull clear of danger?
Leeds know a win would increase pressure on the other relegation candidates ahead of the weekend. The Whites have often been competitive this season, rarely dominating possession but creating enough chances to stay in games. The issue has been turning those moments into comfortable wins, particularly at home.
Nowhere is that clearer than after the half-time interval. Leeds have conceded 15 second half league goals at Elland Road and when matches are level or Leeds hold a narrow lead, Farke's side tend to slow the tempo and protect central areas rather than push for a decisive second goal. Control becomes caution – and pressure follows.
Greater calm in front of goal could make the difference. Forward Noah Okafor has emerged as Leeds' most reliable finisher since early February, scoring five Premier League goals in that period. Only Morgan Gibbs-White and Viktor Gyokeres have scored more in the same spell. If Friday's game remains tight into the latter stages, Leeds will need that efficiency.
Will pride drive managerless Burnley at Elland Road?
Burnley's return to the Premier League has again proved short-lived, with relegation confirmed by last week's defeat by Manchester City. With the club now managerless, there is a possibility they play with a degree of freedom – but their away form offers little reassurance.
The pattern has been familiar. Burnley often start competitively, pressing with energy and keeping their shape. However, as intensity drops, gaps appear and opponents take advantage.
They have conceded 25 first half away goals and remain the league's most porous defence, with 68 goals conceded overall.
If Leeds are looking for encouragement, it may come from that contrast in resilience. This fixture has the feel of a match shaped by patience and timing: one side trying to avoid the late game issues that have haunted their season, the other vulnerable once momentum turns against them. How Leeds manage that balance after the break could decide the outcome.
Leeds United captain Ethan Ampadu has sat down with BBC Radio Leeds' Adam Pope.
Wales international Amapadu admits the pain of a defeat such as the one suffered at Wembley on Sunday "can linger".
But Ampadu believes manager Daniel Farke is good at letting players feel "hurt and disappointment" before moving on constructively.
"I know there's disappointment in the fans," Ampadu says. "We feel that emotion the exact same. We didn't get it done. Now we know what the sole focus is."
The sole focus is Premier League survival. Leeds go to Burnley on Friday night knowing a win could move them nine points above the relegation zone.
"Every game when it comes to this sort of crunch time is massive," he adds.
Sutton's predictions: Leeds v Burnleypublished at 08:03 BST 1 May
08:03 BST 1 May
The Burnley fans never really seemed to take to Scott Parker but his biggest problem was Sunderland and Leeds being more competitive than the Clarets as promoted clubs this season.
Burnley are down and searching for a new manager, but Leeds go marching on together - they have had an outstanding campaign under Daniel Farke even if their performance against Chelsea in last weekend's FA Cup semi-final was disappointing compared to their recent form.
If Leeds lose this, then it is squeaky bum time for them with games to come against Tottenham and West Ham, but they won't mess up.
For me, this is the result that will secure their safety. Yes, there would still be work to do, but if there ever was a gimme this season then it is playing Burnley at home.
Speaking on the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast, Rix said: "It'd be great to win against Burnley, season over sort of thing under the lights. But a point, like what we have been accumulating, we have just got to keep on doing that. I don't want to get drawn into it but I can just see everyone getting all the points."
Jonny Buchan said: "A win would take Leeds nine points clear of Tottenham. Spurs would have four games left to play, they're on the road this weekend at Aston Villa, all three sides below Leeds are away this weekend, which is beneficial I think."
Adam Pope echoed: "Just get it done Friday night, Leeds."
This prompted Rix to "bet his house" on Leeds confirming their safety on Friday with three points against Burnley, which would take them up to 13th on 43 points.
Gossip: Leeds renew interest in Sporting's Moritapublished at 07:36 BST 30 April
07:36 BST 30 April
Leeds United have renewed their interest in signing Sporting defensive midfielder Hidemasa Morita, with the 30-year-old Japan international understood to be willing to commit to the move if they secure their Premier League status. (Mail), external.
A new episode of BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast is now available to listen to or download now on BBC Sounds.
Another trip to Wembley ends in defeat for Leeds United in the FA Cup semi-final, despite incredible support under the famous arch.
Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Kaiser Chiefs' bassist Simon Rix reflect on the loss to Chelsea and look ahead to Friday night's big Premier League game against Burnley.
Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.
Farke on injury news, Premier League safety and Calvert-Lewinpublished at 15:31 BST 29 April
15:31 BST 29 April
Ailsa Cowen BBC Sport journalist
Media caption,
Farke: 'Earlier the better'
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has been speaking to the media before Friday's Premier League game against Burnley at Elland Road (20:00 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
On losing the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea: "Since Monday it's not a topic any more. If you lose a game and you're out, you are disappointed. We lost a semi-final against a side in what was their best performance in a few months. It wasn't our best. It doesn't take anything away from making our fans proud of this run in the FA Cup. We're still on a good path in the Premier League, it wasn't meant to be. We've put it to bed now."
Gabriel Gudmundsson has a "serious hamstring injury" and will miss the Burnley and Tottenham games, but could come back for the last two matches.
Noah Okafor has got "a little hit in the calf" and Jaka Bijol has "problems with his hip flexor".
On their opponents: "Burnley have played us out of the park before. I have respect for what Scott Parker is doing."
He also highlighted his side's desire to get safety done and dusted. "We want to keep going. We have 12 more points to fight for. In this game, to win one or three points we know will ease the pressure."
Although he did not want to "praise" his side too early as safety "hasn't been achieved just yet. We know how difficult it has been for promoted sides in recent years".
On Anton Stach: "A good solid performance after an injury, the confidence for him, very beneficial for him, always a bit tricky after an injury, similar with Joe Rodon, it's not ideal to have them out. Rodon was excellent too."
He was also asked about the players paying attention to other results around them in the table. Farke said they "don't hide it or else you would be scared. Players are allowed to look at other results. You have to deal with it very relaxed".
Farke sent his well wishes to striker Mateo Joseph, currently on loan from Leeds to Mallorca, where he has suffered a serious knee injury during a match.
On Dominic Calvert-Lewin not scoring from open play recently: "There was a few games that were difficult for him, against Crystal Palace he missed a few chances."
Gossip: Valencia keen to keep Leeds' Ramazani after loan spellpublished at 07:45 BST 29 April
07:45 BST 29 April
Feyenoord striker Ayase Ueda, 27, has been added to the shortlist of attacking players wanted by Everton this summer, with Leeds, Tottenham and Brighton also showing interest in the Japan international. (Teamtalk), external
Valencia are keen for Belgian winger Largie Ramazani to make a permanent move from Leeds after the 25-year-old impressed on his loan spell in La Liga. (ElDesmarque - in Spanish), external
'An emotional week'published at 09:37 BST 28 April
09:37 BST 28 April
Molly Whitmore Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
It is genuinely difficult to put into words what this week has felt like as a Leeds fan, but I will try.
We started the week on such a high after impressive wins against Manchester United and Wolves, where the team played with confidence, energy and real attacking intent. In both matches, Leeds looked like a side full of belief, capable of taking control and dictating the game against strong opposition. That momentum carried into what was always going to be a tough away fixture at Bournemouth.
Credit has to go to Bournemouth, who played very well and made it a challenging contest throughout. Looking at the game honestly, it is hard to say Leeds fully deserved all three points, but coming away from home with a draw against a quality side is still a positive result. Moments like the scenes after Sean Longstaff's contribution gave fans something to celebrate and kept spirits high. At that point, all roads were leading to Wembley, and the excitement was building with every passing day.
The trip to London for the semi final was something special. I feel incredibly fortunate to have seen Leeds at Wembley a few times before, but experiencing a cup semi final there felt completely different. It carried more weight, more emotion, and meant so much more on a personal level. The anticipation, the atmosphere, and the belief among the fans made it feel like anything was possible.
That is what makes the result so hard to take. There is a real sense of disappointment and frustration.
It felt like Leeds allowed the opposition too much control and showed them a level of respect that ultimately worked against us. The team never quite imposed themselves on the game in the way we have seen recently. At times, it almost seemed too relaxed, as if the intensity that had driven previous performances was missing. Perhaps recent form played a role, with Leeds riding a wave of confidence while Chelsea had been less convincing in the weeks leading up to the match. It may have created a sense that the game would be more straightforward than it actually was.
To come away from such an occasion without the result we hoped for is devastating. Opportunities like that do not come around often, and it felt like a real chance to achieve something special. The disappointment will linger, but as always in football, there is no time to dwell for too long.
Attention now turns to Friday night, which feels like the biggest game of the season. Securing Premier League safety has to be the priority, and there is still plenty to play for. Climbing above Newcastle would be a huge step and a real statement after everything that has happened this week. The focus has to be on responding in the right way and showing the resilience that this team has demonstrated before.
It has been an emotional week, full of highs and lows, but the journey continues.
Chelsea's tactic to 'stifle the game' was 'deplorable'published at 11:53 BST 27 April
11:53 BST 27 April
Image source, Getty Images
Leeds United fan Heidi Haigh has criticised the "play-acting and cheating from Chelsea" in their FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Sunday.
Daniel Farke's hopes of helping the club reach a first FA Cup final since they lost to Sunderland in 1973 were dashed as Brenden Aaronson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin both missed big chances.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live about the result, Haigh said: "I'm feeling frustrated really. We didn't set up right in the first half. Chelsea were running rings around us down the wings and we weren't set up well enough to stop them.
"We let them into the game too much in the first half. They were just bypassing our midfield and we just couldn't get a grip of the game. At the end of the day, they had a go and we didn't.
"They got their bounce-back from having a new [interim] manager, which was bad timing from our point of view but good timing from their point of view.
"I'm really sad for the fans who wanted to see us score at Wembley and still haven't seen us score there.
"The other thing that really frustrated me was all the play-acting and cheating from Chelsea, especially with their goalkeeper going down. It is deplorable that, with all their multi-million-pound players, they still had to resort to that to beat us.
"It is the fourth time this season that I've seen a goalkeeper go down with nobody near them. It is a tactic to stifle the game. It's the way modern football seems to be going, but it's something I hate."
Marc: Allowing Chelsea so much possession at the start of the first half was a tactical error from Leeds. Chelsea's passing was superior throughout, whereas Leeds' link-up play and end product was poor. Very disappointing performance for a semi-final.
Paul: More disappointed for our amazing supporters, many of whom have travelled afar to see Leeds lose. Not much between the teams apart from the expenditure on players. Tired of the gamesmanship displayed by Chelsea and many top-flight clubs. Impacts the flow of the game.
Mark: Dreadful gamesmanship was triumphant over a dismal lack of quality from us... NOT a cup classic. Get the three points against Burnley under the lights on Friday and we'll quickly move on.
Al: We didn't show up. Very disappointing. We couldn't have asked for a better time to play Chelsea but we blew it. They deserved the win. Just can't understand how the team that destroyed Manchester United at Old Trafford could play so poorly. We just kept giving the ball away.
Craig: We are Leeds United and we are used to losing games against big clubs like Chelsea, so there is nothing new to add to the list of negatives. However, we are not used to being in and staying in the Premier League, or being in the FA cup semi-finals, so plenty of new things going on for us in the list of positives. MARCHING ON TOGETHER!
Don: I was fortunate to watch Don Revie's Leeds as a kid when Chelsea (and Chopper Harris) were "more than fortunate". However, this time around, Chelsea deserved the win - which I thought should have been 2-0.
Roger: The quality gap was quite clear. Far too many unforced errors by Leeds players gave control of the game to a better passing team, who used the size of the pitch by keeping players wide, whereas Leeds were far too narrow, especially in the first half. Despite the defeat, an enjoyable day out in London with the massed ranks of Leeds fans.
John: Very poor from Leeds. We've had a great run but we had no real quality on Sunday. Aaronson & Calvert-Lewin both should have scored, so it could have been different but, overall, Chelsea deserved it. Wembley continues being a bad ground for Leeds.
Tactical stoppages need clamping down on - Murphypublished at 08:28 BST 27 April
08:28 BST 27 April
Former England midfielder and BBC Sport pundit Danny Murphy believes Chelsea utilised "an obvious tactical stoppage" in their FA Cup semi-final win over Leeds United on Sunday, and proposes rule changes that can prevent it from happening.
Analysis: Missed chances cost Farke's sidepublished at 18:21 BST 26 April
18:21 BST 26 April
Phil McNulty Chief football writer
Image source, Getty Images
Leeds United's desolate players and fans will leave Wembley nursing regrets as the chance to reach the FA Cup final passed them by.
In a surprisingly timid first-half display, Leeds still had a huge opportunity to take charge of the game when Brenden Aaronson ran through with only Robert Sanchez to beat, manager Daniel Farke holding his head in anguish on the sidelines as the keeper stuck out a leg to save.
Leeds finally, and belatedly, performed with purpose and intensity after half-time and Dominic Calvert-Lewin should have made more of the sort of service he thrives on when he headed straight at Sanchez while unmarked.
It was Leeds' last big moment as they simply did not possess the firepower to seriously trouble Chelsea, despite having plenty of possession.
Premier League safety will still rank as a very creditable achievement by Farke and his players this season, but they will know they could have made this a day of glory as opposed to bitter disappointment.
Chelsea 1-0 Leeds United: What Farke saidpublished at 17:43 BST 26 April
17:43 BST 26 April
Media caption,
Leeds United Daniel Farke, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "It was a tight game. They were able to find the back of the net. I think we nearly dominated at least one statistic more shots on target, more expected goals, more big chances missed. But it's also fair to say that the football in the first half we didn't have our best days. You could feel the boys were a bit too nervous today to be at their free-flowing best and for that we had a few unnecessary losses of the balls and assisted more or less to their two or three chances in the first half.
"We were not played out of the park even though it wasn't our best game in the first half. Credit to my players. We went for it and pressed higher and dominated more. Of course, you always have to be switched on for counterattacks. But the goalkeeper was able to get two great saves. And the defensive flow of Chelsea was there, it was top defensive behaviour. They always had an answer to all our questions that we asked. It's hard to take anyhow, but nevertheless, I'm proud of the cup run."
Leeds have become the first ever club side to lose four successive matches without scoring at Wembley.
Leeds have lost each of their last three FA Cup semi-finals (also 1977 and 1987) – more eliminations at this stage of the competition than in their previous six semi-finals (two).
Sutton's predictions: Chelsea v Leeds Utdpublished at 11:00 BST 26 April
11:00 BST 26 April
I don't think Liam Rosenior was the biggest problem at Chelsea, although some of his decisions certainly did not help his cause.
I was at Amex Stadium on Tuesday, co-commentating on Rosenior's final game in charge, and the lack of effort some of the Chelsea players put in against Brighton was more damning on them than their manager.
Rosenior was right when he came out afterwards and said the performance was "unacceptable" but, sadly, when a manager is so critical of his players you know that is usually the end for him.
I hope Rosenior gets back into management soon and the state Chelsea are in is certainly not a reflection on him. The model the club's owners have gone for is part of the problem, as Rosenior's predecessors found out too.
It is left to Calum McFarlane to take charge for this game and we will have to wait to see who he has fit - and then which Chelsea side will turn up.
Leeds beat Chelsea at Elland Road in December and drew with them at Stamford Bridge in February.
Daniel Farke's side are not completely safe yet but they picked up another really good point late on against Bournemouth on Wednesday and they have got a lot about them. I am going for them to beat Chelsea at Wembley too.