Often when Leeds United attackers have starred in a match and helped the side to victory, Daniel Farke has not looked up top but instead pointed to his defence when handing out the praise.

The Whites have kept 16 Championship clean sheets this season, with Burnley - Monday’s opponents - the only team to have recorded more (18). So don’t expect a goal-fest next week.

The Clarets have conceded just nine times in 28 league matches, which is an astonishing feat. James Trafford has kept six straight clean sheets, making two impressive penalty saves in last week’s goalless draw with Sunderland.

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As a result, Scott Parker’s side have strung together a 15-game unbeaten Championship run, having lost just twice all season. They will come into their home clash with Leeds brimming with confidence.

But United have their own stats to boast about. They are unbeaten in 10 league home games, and have not lost under Daniel Farke when they have scored first.

United have recorded three straight clean sheets themselves despite Illan Meslier’s recent wobbles and Pascal Struijk’s absence. In fact, the defence recorded a new record on Wednesday against Norwich.

United ended the second half having kept Norwich so at bay that the Canaries failed to register a single shot. That is the seventh time this season they have shut out an opponent across a whole half of a Championship game, which is a new record.

Farke has referred to Ethan Ampadu and Joe Rodon’s partnership at centre-back as his ‘Welsh wall’, while Jayden Bogle and Sam Byram have been excellent at full-back.

Junior Firpo has also returned from injury too while Ilia Gruev is back from knee surgery to operate as a defensive midfielder if required. Defender Max Wover is also back from his setback, albeit is being carefully managed. United have coped without Struijk but he will nevertheless be a miss.

Regardless, United have gained enough defensive clout that Burnley ought not to feel so confident. Plus, the last time Leeds failed to score in a game was back in November, some 10 games ago.

Speaking at Thorp Arch on Thursday, Farke sent a message to his defender and attackers. “I still have [ambitions to have the best defensive record in the Championship.”

“Credit to [Burnley], it is outstanding what they have done. To have conceded such a small amount of goals.

“[But] We are still ambitious and have scored an incredible amount of goals. It is difficult to create chances against Burnley, our offensive players have to be firing on all cylinders on Monday.”

He added: “If it’s not possible to have the least conceded goals, it is still possible to be there with most clean sheets. Solid defensive behaviour is the basement in football for success and we are on a good path, the second best defence.”

Fighting talk. Game on, then.