Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard says his team will go all out to secure maximum points against Leeds United's relegation rivals Burnley when they travel to Turf Moor to take on the Clarets this weekend. Unusually, both Aston Villa and Burnley have yet to face each other yet this season and will play their home and away ties across the next three weeks in what could prove to be a pivotal part of the relegation battle.
Leeds United sit just below Burnley in the table in 17th place by virtue of having a worse goal difference and will be hoping Gerrard's side are able to give them a helping hand over the coming weeks when they face off against interim manager Mike Jackson's Clarets.
Heading into the game, Villa will make a late call on promising midfielder Jacob Ramsey who was forced to limp out of training recently with a groin injury. Gerrard called Ramsey's involvement a "major doubt" in his pre-match press conference, leaving them sweating on his fitness ahead of the Burnley clash.
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Additionally, both Leon Bailey and Kortney Hause, who has not featured since mid-January, will miss the Burnley game. Morgan Sanson will return to the match squad however having missed Villa's last two games with a knock.
"Burnley are very important," said Gerrard. "Burnley have got their own style, their own identity but I think it’s very disrespectful to say that Burnley just fight and compete.
"I’ve watched Burnley’s last three or four games and they’ve got really good technical players. They’ve obviously got a really strong mentality within the group and they’re desperate to stay in the Premier League.
"If they achieve that again, they’ve probably punched above their weight compared to other teams but that’s none of my business. My business is to try and take maximum points off Burnley tomorrow.
"We’ve analysed a good strong team who are having a manager bounce but my priority is Aston Villa and I’m preparing Aston Villa to make sure we go there and get the win. In terms of who stays in the Premier League, it doesn’t really interest me as long as Aston Villa are there.
