Burnley head coach Scott Parker has singled out the Leeds United player he believes could be the difference as the two sides prepare to meet in the Premier League.
Scott Parker and Daniel Farke locked horns at the top of the Championship last season, as Leeds pipped Burnley to the title with the final kick of the season.
Now, the two managers are preparing to face off again in the Premier League in a crucial early clash as Leeds look to improve their recent record against the Clarets.
Farke shared some bad news ahead of the game, with Noah Okafor potentially set to miss the fixture through injury, and Willy Gnonto having undergone surgery in the international break.
However, Parker has singled out another Leeds forward as a key threat ahead of the game, stating his belief that Dominic Calvert-Lewin could be the difference this season.
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Scott Parker pinpoints Dominic Calvert-Lewin threat
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the Leeds game, Parker praised Leeds head coach Daniel Farke for building a quality squad.
According to Parker, he is particularly wary of the threat posed by Calvert-Lewin, who he believes has become the “focal point” of the Leeds attack this season.
Parker said: “They are a very good team, and we experienced that last year. They’re a top team, they have a lot of quality and good intensity about their game.
“They have a brilliant manager in Daniel Farke, who has been there for some time now, and you can see there are little changes to them.
“Dominic Calvert-Lewin is more of a focal point for them, but for the majority of it, we are going to face a similar team to the one we played against last year.
“We have been strong at home this year and last year. We are hugely competitive here, and we need to continue that. It will be vital for us in terms of being successful in the Premier League this year.”
Leeds United are looking to break a four-year Turf Moor drought
Although Leeds’ recent track record against Burnley has been poor, with just one win in the last four meetings between the two sides, their overall head-to-head record is strong.
In all meetings between the two sides, Leeds have won 34 times to Burnley’s 19, with 13 draws from the 66 games.
However, Leeds will need to end a four-year scoring drought at Turf Moor, having last scored at Burnley’s ground in 2021 in a 1-1 draw.
Patrick Bamford got on the scoresheet on that occasion as Leeds geared up for a relegation battle under Marcelo Bielsa.
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