Sheffield United and Burnley fans have a lot to say following Ao Tanaka ‘best player’ claims

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The best player in the Championship is, of course, a subjective topic of discussion, although fans of Leeds United, Sheffield United, Burnley, and Sunderland are the likeliest to stake claims on that front.

The Championship has been an intense and often drama-filled league since the inaugural 2004/05 season. There have been plenty of outstanding teams and players in the division over the years, and there could be more who yet go on to play for England from the EFL.

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
5	CoventryCoventry	38	17	8	13	55	48	7	59
6	West BromWest Brom	38	13	18	7	48	34	14	57

Clubs are desperate to gain promotion during the final eight-game run-in, given the financial reward at stake, as well as the ability to keep hold of your best players and build the side around them with other similar calibre players.

It’s such a good league, in fact, that QPR and Sunderland both have wonderkids among their ranks, and we’re sure to see plenty more brilliant players turning out in the second tier next season.

• READ MORE: Daniel Farke is already above Marcelo Bielsa and Don Revie with Leeds United manager record

Fans debate the best player in the Championship

The Championship Player of the Year award is fast approaching, but the debate as to who deserves to win it and who the division’s best player is continues to be a debate online.

The standouts play for the top clubs, including numerous former Premier League stars or those who can settle a game with their match-winning quality via a moment of magic and inidvidual brilliance.

We ranked the 20 best players in the Championship recently, but online discourse between Burnley, Sheffield United, Leeds, and Sunderland fans has a handful of players pitted against one another for the true crown of the second tier’s best player in 2024/25.

The names put forward include Maxime Esteve, Ao Tanaka, and Gus Hamer, which is where most Blades fans started during the debate.

One fan said: “Gus is the better player every day of the week.“

Another argued: “I hate Burnley but that Esteve is the best player.”

A further response stated: “Tanaka probably having a better season but Hamer is the better player.”

EFL pundit George Elek described Ao Tanaka as the best signing in the league this season alongside Wilson Isidor. Leeds fans have also backed Tanaka for the Championship’s Player of the Year award this season.

However, the likes of Michael Cooper and James Trafford have excelled and deserve mentions for their respective teams due to their importance as well.

• READ MORE: ‘The best’ – EFL experts pile praise on Burnley amid warning to Leeds United and Sheffield United

Which team is the likeliest to win automatic promotion?

A team’s best player can be the difference in the run-in after the international break, with each aiming to gain the financial reward of automatic promotion and possibly even be among the highest points tallies in Championship history in the process.

Opta are giving Leeds a 61.68% chance of the title, with Sheffield United (23.78%) and Burnley (14.54%). The Whites have an 88.96% chance of automatic promotion of any kind; meanwhile Burnley (48.38%) and Sheffield United (62.58%).

Burnley’s ‘best’ form of the season is not reflected in that, given that the Clarets are breaking records currently. The run-in has Leeds’ games as the easiest remaining fixtures they know they must avoid the play-offs, given Leeds’ record at Wembley.

Experts have had their say on Burnley’s chances as the outsiders but it is hard to look beyond Leeds at the current time.