How Leeds United, Sheffield United, and Burnley’s final eight fixtures compare in Championship title race

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There is a three-way race for automatic promotion at the top of the Championship, with Leeds United, Sheffield United, and Burnley all vying for the top two places in the second tier.

The race to gain promotion from the Championship heated up yet again this weekend when Leeds United dropped points to QPR, while both the Blades and the Clarets claimed victory to apply pressure at the top.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	LeedsLeeds	38	23	11	4	76	25	51	80
2	Sheff UtdSheffield Utd	38	25	7	6	53	28	25	80
3	BurnleyBurnley	38	21	15	2	52	11	41	78
4	SunderlandSunderland	38	19	12	7	55	37	18	69

The Whites have been top for 16 matchdays in a row now in the Championship heading into the international break, albeit with one win in four during a run that is sure to test the nerve of Daniel Farke and co. in the meantime.

Burnley and Sheffield United are both recently-relegated clubs who were expected to be in the promotion mix from the off, whilst Sunderland have defied the odds somewhat with a young side under Regis Le Bris to stay with the pack for as long as they did up until recently.

Leeds and Farke, however, are a second-year Championship side following relegation from the Premier League in 2022/23, meaning they are in receipt of parachute payments for the second of three seasons while they remain a second tier outfit.

With so much still to play for, and only eight games to go, it’s time to look at the final run-in for the three title contenders.

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The final eight games for Leeds United, Sheffield United, and Burnley

The Championship automatic promotion race is as intense and hotly contested in as many years, with Leeds embroiled in their second four-way tussle at the top of the division for much of it. Unsurprisingly so, given the talent on display at each Championship team in the mix.

It comes after the standard was set at the top of the table at an all-time high last year, particularly highlighted by Leeds finishing third with 90 points. Although, it is likely that will be topped this season by whichever side finishes third and misses out on automatic promotion in the current campaign.

Outside of last season, it’s an unprecedented scenario that so many teams are still in with a chance at this stage and leaves very little room for error at the moment. Leeds and Sheffield United are set for just shy of 100 points based on their current PPG rate, which would be among the highest points totals ever.

There are bound to be many more twists and turns before the end of the season, and the teams in second and first could easily change hands multiple times between the three clubs involved. The Golden Boot race is also required to be decided before the end of the season, too.

The question of who will secure the big prize and promotion to the top-flight will likely be asked many times between now and the end of the season, and the remaining games against one another or the teams in the play-off race are more difficult and thus crucial to establishing a top two finish.

No matter what any ‘supercomputers’ try to tell you, there is plenty to play for in the race for Premier League promotion, with sides playing before others in the race and thus able to apply pressure at the top, such as Burnley, who face Norwich on the 11th of April, before Leeds and the Blades kick off on the Saturday.

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Leeds have the easiest run-in over Burnley and Sheffield United

It’s difficult to envisage a world where the final day doesn’t have some say on at least two teams in the race, and possibly all three. The clash between Burnley and Sheffield United at Turf Moor could be pivotal given the timing, with just three games to spare. Surely whoever loses that game will be nudged out of the title race?

Undoubtedly, Leeds have the easier games on paper, with numerous sides in the bottom half of the table still to play. They have largely been ruthless and efficient against such opposition as well. Middlesbrough and Bristol City are the only top half teams to play Leeds, albeit the away fixtures against teams fighting for their lives will not all be a given.

Burnley appear to have the hardest remaining games, with five teams in the top half, as well as a Derby County side that have so far been resurgent under John Eustace following three wins in a row. That said, both Burnley and Chris Wilder’s Blades have been outstanding at grinding games out.

Heading into the break before the business end of the season, Opta gives Leeds a 61.76% chance of the title, with Sheffield United (22.28%) and Burnley (15.96%) a fair way behind. The Whites have an 89.74% chance of automatic promotion of any kind; meanwhile Burnley (49.40%) and Sheffield United (60.76%) will both wish to apply pressure in the meantime, and also know how crucial matchday 44 is.