Lancashire

Image source, Getty Images

Burnley manager Scott Parker says his players must "stay level and focused" if they are to achieve automatic promotion to the Premier League.

The Clarets significantly boosted their chances of making the top two with a 2-1 win over Norwich at Turf Moor on Friday.

"Overall, I am delighted with the group," Parker told BBC Radio Lancashire. "We set about it first half, and had an incredible first half. Every phase of our game, from the attacking front, looked a real threat.

"Defensively, in terms of our positioning, meant we really suffocated Norwich. In the second half we dropped our energy, mostly due to the business of the schedule.

"Once a goal goes in, it becomes a nervy time. But we are disappointed about the goal, we've been superb defensively, but I thought our reaction, and the stadium's reaction, was really positive."

Parker's side went top of the table after the victory, five points clear of third placed Sheffield United. Leeds' superior goal difference will mean they leapfrog Burnley with victory this weekend.

"This is about staying very level, very focused, not getting involved in the emotions of this time of year," he added.

"My message is to stay calm, there's four games left, let's keep chalking them off."

This fixture goes back to the 1924-25 season when Leeds won both matches in the old First Division, scoring four goals in each game.

Preston are looking for a first league victory at Elland Road since 2010 when they came from 4-2 down at half-time to win 6-4.

• Leeds have lost just one of their past seven league games against Preston, (W3 D3), a 2-1 defeat at Deepdale in December 2023.

• Preston have won just one of their past 12 away league games against Leeds since 1963 (D4 L7).

• Leeds have scored 80 goals in the Championship this season, just one short of their competition record (since 2004-05) of 81 in 2010-11 and 2023-24. They last scored more than 81 in a league campaign in 1969-70 (84).

• Preston have won just one of their past 10 league matches (D6 L3), beating Portsmouth 2-1 in March. The Lilywhites have lost three of their past four away games in the Championship (D1).

• Leeds' Dan James has 12 league goals this season, one below his record in a single campaign of 13 last season. James could score in three successive league appearances for the third time in his career – the last time he achieved this (January 2024), the third game was against Preston at Elland Road.

Burnley can steal a march on their promotion rivals with a point at home to Norwich enough to send them top of the Championship table ahead of the weekend games.

Norwich know only a win would keep alive their slim chances of gatecrashing the top six.

• Burnley have won their past three league games against Norwich City, last winning four in succession against the Canaries between 2006 and 2007.

• Norwich City have won just one of their 20 away league games against Burnley (D4 L15), failing to score in 14 of those matches at Turf Moor.

• Burnley have kept 29 clean sheets in their 41 Championship games this season. They are now just one clean sheet away from matching the all-time seasonal Football League record of 30, set by Port Vale in the 1953-54 third division north.

• Since defeating Derby 3-2 in September, Norwich have won just two of their past 16 away league games (D6 L8) – 1-0 victories against Luton and Watford.

• Burnley have been involved in 12 goalless draws in the Championship this season; only Blackpool in 1974-75 (13) have ever had more 0-0s in a single Football League season.

Image source, Rex Features

Preston North End will use the summer to refresh and improve their squad, says boss Paul Heckingbottom.

With loan players returning to their parent clubs and others coming to the end of their contracts, Heckingbottom believes there is an opportunity for him to stamp his mark on the squad at Deepdale.

He said there could be as many as a dozen squad places to fill but added "one or two" of the out-of-contract players "could be staying".

North End have four loan players set to leave at the end of the Championship season while six senior players, including goalkeeper Freddie Woodman and second top-scorer Emil Riis, will be out of contract.

"There's the potential to, definitely," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire when asked about a summer overhaul.

"Your loans are going to go automatically and there will be one or two who leave as well.

"So if we play it right, it's a big opportunity to refresh the squad, improve the squad and just change the dynamic of it."

Preston are 16th in the table, seven points clear of the relegation zone with five games to go, and reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup where they lost 3-0 at home to Aston Villa.

Image source, Rex Features

Burnley are not ruling out Lyle Foster for the Championship run-in despite the striker suffering a shoulder injury in Tuesday's goalless draw at Derby.

The 24-year-old had only been on the field as a substitute for six minutes of the second half at Pride Park when he had to go off and be replaced by Hannibal Mejbri.

"It's not looking too good for Lyle," Clarets boss Scott Parker told a news conference before Friday's Championship match with Norwich City (20:00 BST)

"We are looking for a second opinion, thankfully it's not as bad as we feared. He hasn't dislocated it but there is still hope that he could play again this season."

Foster has scored two league goals in 17 starts this season having cost the Clarets £11m when joining from Belgian club Westerlo in January 2023.