Exclusive: Positive Leeds United, Coventry City claims made a quest for promotion intensifies | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer has had his say on who he thinks will finish in the top six of the Championship this season

Carlton Palmer has backed the Sky Blues to be the side to break into the Championship play-offs before the end of the season, with Blackburn Rovers the team to miss out.

The 59-year-old has also backed another of his former sides, West Bromwich Albion, to consolidate their place in the top six between now and the end of the season, while Leeds United and Sheffield United have been tipped for automatic promotion.

With the top four teams in the second tier likely to stay as they are, there looks to be two places remaining in the play-off positions right now, with as many as ten teams eying up a late surge to put their name into the hat for the end-of-season lottery come May.

But with the resurgence under Frank Lampard since the turn of the year, Palmer is confident that it will be Cov that make the final spot theirs in the coming months, with recent form backing him up.

Carlton Palmer makes Leeds United, Sheffield United Championship promotion claim

Leeds United came from behind for the second week in a row to overcome a promotion rival on Monday night, as they defeated Sheffield United 3-1 at Bramall Lane to open up a five-point gap between themselves and the rest of the division with 12 league matches remaining.

The Whites have a seven-point buffer from third-placed Burnley right now, and as a result, Palmer cannot see anyone coming close to Daniel Farke’s between now and the end of the season.

As for second-spot, the ex-England international can’t see much changing over the next two months, with Chris Wilder’s side tipped to return to the Premier League at the first attempt this season.

Palmer said: "In the top four places we have Leeds United and Sheffield United. I think Leeds United are clean and gone.

"I think it’s between Burnley and Sheffield United, but I am going to stick with Sheffield United to get promotion. Then we are looking at Burnley and Sunderland guaranteed in the play-off spots."

West Bromwich Albion, Coventry City predictions made as Championship play-offs loom

Ten teams are separated by just seven points as we reach the crunch point of the Championship season, with West Bromwich Albion in fifth and QPR in 14th all likely to still fancy their chances of finishing in the top six.

While Albion and Blackburn Rovers are in the play-off spots right now, Coventry sit a point behind, with Bristol City a further point back, and Watford another point off the Robins.

Norwich City and Middlesbrough are still four points off the play-off pack on 47 points, while Millwall and Sheffield Wednesday sit on 45, one point ahead of QPR.

With plenty of those meddling in the top half of the table still having to play each other between now and May, there is plenty set to change in the race for the top six, but Palmer already has eyes on the Sky Blues as his fancied side to spoil the party, and replace Blackburn before too long.

"From there, we have West Bromwich Albion all the way down to Queens Park Rangers, possibly Sheffield Wednesday on 45 points, who are all in with a shout f getting into the play-offs.

"In my opinion, I think West Brom will get enough points to secure a play-off place, and I think the last play-off place will be taken by Frank Lampard’s Coventry City.

"What a fantastic job he has done since taking over at the football club, and I think they will get the last place in there.

"So the four teams I predict to be in the play-offs are Burnley, Sunderland, West Brom and Coventry City."

Only Leeds can top Coventry’s return of 21 points from their past eight matches, with Lampard presiding over a miraculous return to form after taking over from the departed Mark Robins at the end of last year.

If that sort of momentum continues, Palmer’s prediction could well be right, but in terms of the other side to join them, Albion’s form is as mixed as any of the other teams in the chasing pack right now, and his guess could be as good as any when all is said and done.