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“That’s my prediction, no pressure”- Alan Smith Unveils His Surprising Top Two Prediction for the Championship – Will Leeds, Sheffield United, or Burnley Take the Crown? His thoughts on Leeds United will leave you speechless
Despite dropping points in a 1-1 draw with West Brom at Elland Road on Saturday, Leeds United still hold a three-point lead over Sheffield United at the top of the Championship table.
Leeds had been five points clear, but after Junior Firpo’s goal was canceled out by Darnell Furlong, Sheffield United took advantage by beating QPR 1-0 away, reducing the gap to just three points.
With 11 games remaining, Leeds are on 76 points and have a goal difference of +50. This is 11 points better than the same stage in the 2019-20 season, when Marcelo Bielsa led Leeds to Premier League promotion.
Although Leeds’ lead over Sheffield United is only three points, they are 8 points clear of third-placed Burnley. Burnley also has a game in hand, which they will play on Tuesday, and former player Alan Smith has weighed in on the title race.
Alan Smith’s Championship Prediction
Leeds legend Alan Smith has told Football League World that he believes his former club will finish top of the Championship, with Burnley edging out Sheffield United for second place.
“Leeds have put themselves in a great position, especially with an eight-point gap to Burnley in third,” Smith said. “It’s going to be tough, as one of those teams will likely feel aggrieved, like Leeds did last year, for not going up automatically.”
“I think Leeds will finish first, and I have a sneaky feeling Burnley will be second, just because they’re so solid defensively, with 12 clean sheets in a row.”
Leeds’ Upcoming Fixtures Before the International Break
Leeds and Sheffield United each have three games left before the March international break, while Burnley has four, starting with a trip to Cardiff City on Tuesday after their FA Cup fixture.
Leeds’ next three matches come thick and fast, starting with a trip to Fratton Park on Sunday. Leeds will look to break their lunchtime curse in that match, before hosting Millwall next Wednesday.
Then, they travel to QPR, a venue where they suffered a 4-0 defeat last season. While these three fixtures are potential banana skins, two wins would give Leeds a boost of confidence ahead of the international break, with Swansea to come on the 29th.
