The battle for promotion to the Premier League has become a major talking point in English football, with Leeds United, Sheffield United, and Burnley separated by just two points.
After a disappointing loss to Portsmouth, the Championship promotion race has turned into a mini 10-game season. Joey Barton believes that the race for promotion is wide open following Leeds’ fourth defeat.
Leeds and Sheffield United are currently tied on points, but Leeds sit at the top of the table due to their superior goal difference – almost double that of Chris Wilder’s side. Burnley are close behind, just two points off the pace after a convincing 4-0 victory over Luton Town.
With only 10 games remaining, the pressure is mounting on the leaders. Alan Pardew has even drawn comparisons between Daniel Farke’s side and Sheffield United ahead of their upcoming fixtures.
Pardew believes that Sheffield United play with less risk compared to Leeds, praising Wilder’s tactics of getting the ball forward quickly, playing wide, and putting balls in the box. It is a stark contrast to Leeds’ style of play, which he perceives as more risky.
However, a closer look at the statistics reveals that Leeds have actually conceded fewer goals than Sheffield United this season, with more clean sheets to their name. Despite this, it will be up to Leeds to prove their worth in the final stretch of the season.
As Leeds aim to bounce back from their defeat to Portsmouth, Wilder’s response and Leeds’ performance against Millwall will be key in shaping the promotion race.
