English Premier

2026-05-01 - Leeds United vs Burnley

A Sports Betting Pick by Auls

Leeds United v Burnley
Football: English Premier League
Friday 1st May 2026 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV

Leeds United

The first half display at Wembley Stadium on Sunday was simply not good enough and Leeds United were punished for that slow start in the FA Cup Semi Final. A much improved second half was not enough to force Extra Time at the least, but Daniel Farke's team cannot allow that disappointment to seep into Premier League performances.

Recent results may have put Leeds United in a strong position in the Division, but while they were playing in the FA Cup Semi Final, the three teams below them in the standings were all winning Premier League fixtures. So while Leeds United remain in 15th place in the Premier League table, there is now just 6 points between them and the bottom three and that means this is an important Friday night fixture in which the team can ease any late relegation concerns.

Leeds United saw the 7 game unbeaten run in all competitions come to a conclusion in the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. The side will be returning home for this fixture and Leeds United are unbeaten in 3 games at Elland Road in all competitions, while they have won twice. Leeds United have also kept clean sheets in those fixtures.

Gabriel Gudmundsson was barely moving at the end of the Cup Semi Final on Sunday and is likely to miss this fixture.

Burnley

After showing more character in the narrow defeat to Manchester City, Burnley Football Club have to know that they need to find a way to bridge the gap between themselves and the Premier League. Once again they have been relegated to the Championship and the pain for the fans is that the other two promoted clubs look like they are going to avoid a fate that some have accepted when moving between the top flight and the Championship.

In recent years some people have stated that the gap between the top two Divisions in English Football is so large that going up is likely to end with an immediate demotion the following season. The Burnley board have been able to 'sell that' after results, but the performances of Sunderland and Leeds United will mean having to change tack if Burnley earn promotion back to this level in twelve months time.

Burnley have failed to win any of the last 8 Premier League games and have been beaten in 6 of those, including the last 4 in a row. They have scored first in each of the last 2 away Premier League fixtures at Fulham and Nottingham Forest, but that has sparked a reaction and Burnley have lost both convincingly to make it 3 straight defeats on their travels.

Axel Tuanzebe, Hannibal Mejbri and Zeki Amdouni are all hoping to be available to travel for this televised fixture on Friday evening.

Head to Head

Burnley beat Leeds United 2-0 at Turf Moor earlier this season.

They also took four points from Leeds United when both played in the Championship last season and the majority were earned in a 0-1 win at Elland Road.

Leeds United had won 2 in a row at home against Burnley prior to that defeat in September 2024.

Prediction

The Friday night fixture that was picked by domestic broadcasters for live viewing looked to have lost some of the importance after results a couple of weeks ago.

However, things have changed on a weekend where Leeds United were playing in the FA Cup Semi Final and Burnley were resting.

Relegation had already been confirmed for Burnley a few days earlier when losing at home to Manchester City, but Leeds United fans will have taken note of wins for Nottingham Forest, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.

With four games left, there is still some work for Leeds United to do if they are going to avoid being dragged into the bottom three.

They do have 6 points more than Tottenham Hotspur in 18th, but Leeds United have to visit that part of North London and also West Ham United before the season is over. Losing both would mean there is real pressure on the players, but they can avoid having to deal with that by beating a team visiting with relegation already settled.

That could make Burnley dangerous with nothing to lose, while Scott Parker's team have made things awkward for teams before falling away. They scored first at both Fulham and Nottingham Forest, but Burnley were well beaten when all was said and done and Leeds United will be encouraged by the way they performed in the 3-0 win over Wolves a couple of weeks ago.

Coming out with that intensity is key- for whatever reason, Leeds United failed to bring that to Wembley Stadium and it did cost them a place in the FA Cup Final.

The Elland Road crowd should help in keeping players focused and Leeds United may have too much in the final third, as they did for Wolves, and that can see the home team come away with a relatively comfortable win and the points that should see them playing Premier League Football again next season.