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EFL Team of the Week

EFL Team of the Week: Leeds United and Burnley players star in promotion triumphs

The Easter weekend saw more football than usual being played in the EFL, with Good Friday and Monday bank holiday games for fans to enjoy.

Joel Piroe netted four goals during Leeds United’s 6-0 demolition against Stoke City to help secure promotion to the Premier League

The Easter weekend saw more football than usual being played in the EFL, with Good Friday and Monday bank holiday games for fans to enjoy.

Burnley and Leeds United fans enjoyed it the most, as both secured promotions back to the Premier League following the Clarets’ huge 2-1 win over Sheffield United.

Joel Piroe’s four-goal haul gave Leeds a statement 6-0 win against Stoke City, which was a must-win to secure their elusive return to the top-flight.

Wrexham capitalised on Wycombe Wanderers’ slip up in League One, with Phil Parkinson’s side now looking like they could secure back-to-back-to-back promotions from the National League all the way to the Championship.

Morecambe were relegated to the fifth tier for the first time in 18 years following two losses, after financial issues plagued the club across the course of the entire season.

Here is the Team of the Week from both fixtures, with players being chosen on their collective efforts across the two games (in a very attacking 3-2-5 formation of sorts).

Grant Smith (Bromley)

Bromley had a fitting end to a successful first season in the EFL with two 1-0 wins against Morecambe and Swindon Town over the weekend.

Comfortably mid table in a season where many expected them to go straight back down, Andy Woodman deserves huge credit for his work.

Keeper Grant Smith is one of many who has made the step up with ease, and an Easter weekend with two MOTM performances made his inclusion into this team essential.

A penalty save against Swindon and a total of 13 saves in the two games capped off a strong first EFL season for the goalie.

Jayden Bogle (Leeds United)

Leeds have finally secured their elusive promotion back to the Premier League, with two huge victories against Oxford United and Stoke.

After 1-0 and 6-0 wins, alongside a helping hand from Burnley, the Whites have made their return to the big time.

With an assist in each game and two clean sheets, Jayden Bogle had an instrumental role to play.

His ability to overlap and put in a good cross has been key for United the whole season, and that is exactly how he delivered those assists.

Lloyd Jones (Charlton Athletic)

Somehow, Charlton Athletic have snuck into the automatic promotion race in League One, following huge wins against Northampton Town and Wycombe.

Lloyd Jones has been a rock this season and put in a MOTM shift against Wycombe, in which the Addicks won 4-0 away from home.

The defender opened the scoring with a composed volley from just inside the box that a seasoned striker would have been proud of.

Maxime Esteve (Burnley)

Burnley did themselves and Leeds United a huge favour by beating Sheffield United, with both now established as the two teams that have secured automatic promotion.

Defence has been key for Scott Parker’s side, with only 15 goals conceded all season.

Maxime Esteve’s efforts both defensively and on the ball have been crucial for the Clarets.

This weekend was no different, as in both the wins against Watford and Sheffield United, he kept it tidy at the back while starting attacks.

Sondre Tronstad (Blackburn Rovers)

An outstanding Good Friday game in Blackburn Rovers’ 4-1 win over Millwall is the main reason Sondre Tronstad is in this team, but he also put in a solid shift in the Monday afternoon win away at Sunderland.

Against Millwall, he scored a brace and had the most tackles won in the game, a perfect combination of defence and attack that any midfielder would envy.

Both of his strikes were from the outside of the box, and while his first was a lucky deflection, his second was a rocket of an effort that nestled into the roof of the net.

After waiting so long for his first Championship goal, it took him only 15 minutes to get his second.

Luke Molyneux (Doncaster Rovers)

Five goal involvements in two games for Luke Molyneux have helped Doncaster Rovers to all but secure their promotion to League One, and potentially a title.

They sit top after 3-0 wins over Tranmere Rovers and Colchester United.

A hat-trick of goals in the former and a brace of assists in the latter show how potent the maverick winger has been in the past two games.

His first assist in the Colchester game summed him up as a player, as he beat his man to put in a beautiful cross for Harry Clifton to finish.

Not only can he go down the line, but he is so dangerous cutting in on his left foot and has seen a lot of joy from that position this season.

Jamie Donley (Leyton Orient)

Young talent Jamie Donley, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, has been tearing it up for Leyton Orient in League One throughout this season.

A brace of assists against Barnsley and a goal against Cambridge United helped the O’s to two huge victories that see them occupy the last playoff spot currently, level on points with Reading.

That has made it six goal involvements in his last four games, an insane record in such a key stage of the season.

In Thierry Henry fashion, he had his back to goal and controlled it with a flick, before volleying home from outside the area.

It wasn’t quite as spectacular as the iconic Frenchman’s effort against Manchester United, but still a remarkable bit of skill from the Northern Irish talent.

That proved to be the winner against Cambridge, and had they not got the three points, they would currently be outside the playoffs.

Rushian Hepburn-Murphy (Crawley Town)

Whilst he may have been kept quiet on Friday against Birmingham City, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy really came to life in Crawley Town’s 3-1 win against Exeter City on Monday.

He bagged a brace of goals and an assist to take his side only three points from safety, and in with a shout.

A rifled finish after a scrappy couple of moments in the box and a poked finish from a yard out secured Town the points.

The former Aston Villa man led the line well as a focal point, with the most fouls won in the game as well.

Joel Piroe (Leeds United)

No Piroe, no party for Leeds.

The Dutchman scored four goals in the first half in their promotion-clinching game against Stoke.

That alone is enough to get him in this team, with it being one of the standout performances of the entire season.

A hat trick in 20 minutes is unbelievable.

In truth, none were particularly amazing strikes, but the sheer number of goals scored showed an unreal attacking instinct.

What a player and Piroe looks likely to keep his spot in the team going into the Premier League season.

Colby Bishop (Portsmouth)

Three goals against Norwich City, and the only goal of the game against Watford, Colby Bishop just had to be in this team.

Pompey played one of the classic games of this season on Friday, as they overcame Norwich 5-3.

It was a perfect hat trick for Bishop, who first scored a header, then a right-footed blasted penalty, before unleashing a cool sweeping finish with his left.

A bundled finish from close range was the only goal of the game against the Hornets.

Both wins have taken Portsmouth from being well in the relegation race to effectively safe.

They are six points clear of the drop with two games to go, so it is virtually impossible that they go down.

READ MORE: Jack Wilshere put in interim charge after Norwich City sack Johannes Hoff Thorup

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