Leeds and Burnley Take Command in Promotion Race as Sheffield United Fade

The battle for automatic promotion to the Premier League has shifted dramatically—from a fierce three-way contest to a two-team showdown between Leeds United and **Burnley, as Sheffield United’s hopes continue to dwindle.

With just four matches remaining, Leeds find themselves in a commanding position. Under the guidance of Daniel Farke, the Whites have risen above a challenging season that saw them lose key players after last year’s playoff heartbreak and endure a series of injury setbacks. Yet, they have shown remarkable resilience, keeping their promotion dream alive and very much in their control.

Meanwhile, Sheffield United’s campaign suffered another major blow with a shock defeat to bottom-placed Plymouth Argyle, allowing both Leeds and Burnley to open up a five-point cushion over Chris Wilder’s side. As it stands, the Blades’ path to automatic promotion is narrowing by the week.

Despite this, Ally McCoist

remains optimistic, suggesting on Talksport that Sheffield United aren’t entirely out of the race: 
> “It’s strange. Everyone has to focus on a huge Easter period, and then Sheffield United go to Burnley. If they win those two games, I’d say they’re right back in contention for automatic promotion.”

However, a glance at the upcoming fixtures and statistical forecasts paints a different picture. According to Opta, Sheffield United have just a 7.02% chance of securing automatic promotion, with a much higher 92.98% probability of landing a playoff spot instead. Their remaining games—against Cardiff, Burnley, Stoke, and Blackburn—offer no easy path. Each opponent has something at stake: survival, title contention, or a late playoff push.

Conversely, Leeds United are presented with a favourable run-in. They face teams near the bottom of the table—Oxford United, Stoke, and Plymouth—along with a home fixture against Bristol City, where Leeds boast a dominant record at Elland Road. Burnley, too, have a manageable fixture list, keeping them neck-and-neck with Leeds as the finish line approaches.

While the idea of a Sheffield United comeback might seem far-fetched, football remains unpredictable. But for now, all signs point to a thrilling two-horse sprint between Leeds United and Burnley—with Premier League football waiting at the finish.