From a selfish point of view, Burnley will have been delighted to get their captain Josh Cullen back in the building this week slightly earlier than anticipated.
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The midfielder returned to Gawthorpe at the start of the week, as opposed to the end of it, after missing the Republic of Ireland’s second game of the international break through suspension.
The 29-year-old was forced to miss Tuesday’s 1-0 win against Armenia after picking up his second booking of World Cup qualifying during last week’s agonising 1-0 defeat to Portugal.
While Cullen was inevitably frustrated to miss out on another cap, it did afford him some more preparation time ahead of this afternoon’s big clash against Leeds United.
“It was obviously very frustrating,” he said. “It’s never nice to miss any games for club or country.
“Obviously it was an important game for the lads that I missed as well, so yeah…two bookings in a group seems a little bit harsh, but those are the rules. Thankfully the lads got the win and it’s a clean slate now heading into next month.”
November is when Ireland’s World Cup qualifying fate will be decided, when they face Portugal and Hungary in their final two group games.
Cullen picked up a second booking of the World Cup qualifying campaign during last week's game against Portugal (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)placeholder image
Cullen picked up a second booking of the World Cup qualifying campaign during last week's game against Portugal (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)
Sitting third in the group, just a point off Hungary in second, Heimir Hallgrímsson’s have it all to play for with a play-off spot still on the line.
“After a disappointing result in September over in Armenia, to keep ourselves in the race going into November is obviously a positive step for us,” Cullen added.
“We know we're going to need two good results next month, but we're in with a chance. I think we're building belief in the squad from the performances, bar the Armenia away one, that we can win games and hopefully we can do that next month.”
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But back to club matters, Cullen is looking at the positives of being afforded more time on the training ground with his Burnley teammates this week.
“I came back at the start of the week,” Cullen said. “I had a little bit of time to rest after the Portugal game, a couple of days.
“Since then I’ve been back in with the squad a little bit earlier than I would have been, so it’s been good to get back to it and prepare for Saturday.”
Picking up four points from their first seven games, Burnley sit inside the Premier League’s bottom three following a gruelling start to the campaign.
But at home, the Clarets have performed strongly, beating Sunderland, drawing with Nottingham Forest and only losing to Liverpool right at the death.
“Every game this season is going to be massive,” Cullen said.
“But our home form, of course, is going to be key. This is a home game in front of our fans and the atmosphere is going to be a good one.
“We know it's a big game and one that we're going into where we want to be positive, we want to be on the front foot, bring a lot of energy and intensity to it and of course, deliver our game plan.
“Hopefully we can get three points, which would be massive for us.”
Despite last season’s rivalry, where the two sides both won automatic promotion with 100 points to their name, Cullen has played down any notion of getting revenge over Daniel Farke’s side, who pipped them to the title on goal difference.
“Not really, to be honest with you,” Cullen said. “I know it's not really a headline, but yeah, next question! I'm not going to fall into that trap.
“But no, look, last season was last season. Obviously we wanted to win the league. They wanted to win the league. We got 100 points and to miss out on a league title when you're getting 100 points is unfortunate.
“But credit to them. They were, I suppose, the best team over the season on paper with the standings at the end.
“But the main goal was obviously to get to the Premier League, so we're here now and this is a new game, a new fixture and we'll be looking to go in and get three points.”
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