Neil MacFarlane previews Brentford U21s trip to Burnley | OneFootball

Brentford Under-21s face Burnley Under-21s at Turf Moor in the Professional Development League on Friday afternoon (1pm kick-off BST).

The west Londoners are looking to cement their spot at the top of the PDL South table, as they take on a Clarets side who need a win to move back into the play-off places.

As well as seeking another three points, the young Bees will also be eager to keep their momentum going ahead of their Premier League Cup semi-final, in which they have been drawn against Southampton.

Head coach Neil MacFarlane has been glowing with pride over the way his side has dealt with an intense fixture schedule that has left them competing to win three competitions late in the season.

"No matter what happens between now and the end of the season, we can look each other in the eyes and say we have been giving everything, both in terms of the levels of performances consistently and the development of the group from the start of the season," said MacFarlane.

"Over the last six months, they've been relentless in their work and it's a huge credit to the players. It's now again about working hard, staying humble and making sure we are prepared for another tough game up at Burnley."

Despite the great run of form the Bees have strung together, MacFarlane knows that the trip to Lancashire will pose challenges for his side.

"We expect another tough game against a good team fighting at the top of their league," he added

"Every single match is completely different; we analyse the opponents, give the players what we think will hurt them, and that gives them a platform both in and out of possession to go and play with the quality that they've been playing with.

"We are really looking forward to it and want to perform as we have been and continue to keep improving and maintain our good momentum."

Last time out in the PDL

The young Bees defeated Fleetwood Town U21s to return to the top of the PDL south table with a confident 2-0 victory at Wheatsheaf Park on Monday afternoon.

Aaron Hickey, Rico Henry and Gustavo Nunes all featured, with goals from Romelle Donovan and substitute Chanse Headman at the end of each half claiming an important three points.

About Burnley Under-21s

The Clarets have performed well in the PDL North and sit third in the league, but have faced a stutter in recent weeks, losing three of their last five games.

They fell to a 2-0 defeat away at Swansea City on Monday night, conceding twice in the opening 30 minutes, and were also beaten by the same scoreline by Fleetwood in their last home outing.

Burnley, like Brentford, have made it through to the semi-finals of the Premier League Cup and will face Chelsea U21s on the other side of the draw.

Match coverage

The club will have updates of the game against Burnley on social media, as well as a match report on the official website and app.