Elland Road has played a big part in Leeds United’s promotion push and for a very good reason. Teams always struggle when they visit, with the crowd being a huge factor.
The atmosphere and intensity is electric, and that coupled with the pressing Leeds adopt in the opening minutes of the game, it can overwhelm opponents. And that is exactly what happened with Burnley on Friday night. Within eight minutes, the Whites had taken the lead, with Anton Stach firing past Dubravka from outside the box. Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin wrapped up the scoring in the second half, as Burnley got a consolation late in the game.
After the match, Burnley interim boss Mike Jackson admitted that his team could not withstand the momentum in the first 20 minutes of the game, and that is what ultimately decided the match.
Stuart Dallas fires Leeds United warning amid Elland Road celebrations
With the win on Friday night, Leeds United are now on 43 points – nine points clear of Spurs in 18th place. Winning at Elland Road was a huge advantage as Daniel Farke’s men played before all of their relegation rivals.
And with the club on the verge of securing another season in the top flight, former Leeds United player Stuart Dallas has some advice. The defender was a part of the team that got promoted in 2020 and survived, exceeding expectations finishing in 9th place in the Premier League.
“We finished 9th and then 17th.
“The club stood still and they didn’t build on what they had there.
“It’s important they don’t make the same mistake. I am sure the guys in charge won’t make the same mistakes.”
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What happened the last time Leeds stayed up
When Marcelo Bielsa helped the Whites achieve promotion in 2020, they were a surprise package. Bielsa’s brand of attacking football helped the team finish in 9th place in the Premier League, setting a points record for a newly-promoted side at that time. However, after that, things fell apart. In the summer following that season, Leeds signed just five players for around £50 million. With the team needing serious depth and quality, the club only brought in Junior Firpo, Dan James and brought in Jack Harrison on a permanent deal. Firpo ended up being a flop, and James was not an impact player either. Things went from bad to worse after that and the Whites eventually got relegated. If Leeds survive this campaign, the 49ers need to invest and make the team good enough to compete next season.
