How Leeds, Burnley & Sheffield United’s final 5 Championship fixtures compare - Scott Parker has made a prediction | OneFootball

Here's how the top three teams' run-ins look.

Five matches: that's all that remains to decide which of Burnley, Leeds United and Sheffield United will claim the top two Championship spots, securing them a spot in next season's Premier League.

As is the case with most second tier promotion races, the remaining games aren't just about determining who will lift the Championship trophy, or how many points the winners will win by. It's been a tightly contested battle throughout.

At one point it seemed like we were going to have a four-horse race, but, much like last season, one of those stallions (Sunderland) fell off the pace and wasn't able to make up the ground that they lost, leaving them with a very slim chance of climbing up the ranks to finish in the top two.

Scott Parker predicts unsure end to the Championship season

And so there were three: the Clarets, the Whites and the Blades. All of them will feel that they deserve to go up automatically, but only two can. And even though there isn't much time left in the campaign, shocks and surprises are always likely in the Championship, making this a fascinating run in.

Burnley's manager Scott Parker predicted as much following his side's 0-0 draw with Derby County in midweek, which allowed Leeds to re-ascend to the top of the tree thanks to their 1-0 win over Middlesbrough.

"There will be more (twists and turns), this is what this division brings, lots of games in short succession," Parker claimed after being held to a stalemate by John Eustace's side, via The Herald.

"We’re disappointed we’ve not come here and got three points so we will quickly eradicate that out of the players’ minds and understand it’s a point and move onto Norwich (City)."

Chris Wilder's side also played on Tuesday night, but suffered their second successive defeat, leaving them two points behind their rivals.

Burnley, Leeds & Sheffield United's final five games of the season

Based on the remaining fixtures and the current points tallies, Leeds look like the most sensible bet to finish in the top two. They play three sides embroiled in the relegation battle (Oxford United, Stoke City and Plymouth Argyle), which, to be fair, can actually make the task a bit harder given they will be fighting for their lives.

Leeds will also have to face Bristol City, who for the first time in decades have a real shot at making it to England's top flight, plus Preston North End this coming weekend. They may be without Dan James for that match, however, due to a hamstring injury picked up in midweek versus Boro.

But where their real advantage lies is actually nothing to do with their remaining games, it's to do with the other two teams and their fixtures, in particular the one when they play each other.

When the Clarets and the Blades face each other at Turf Moor on Easter Monday (21st April), one, or both, of them won't take maximum points from the match, giving Leeds the perfect opportunity to get a leg up on whoever falls short in the contest.

As well as having to play Chris Wilder's side, Parker's men will face plenty of other challenges between now and the end of the season. Play-off chasing Millwall and Watford are on their schedule, as are Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers, two sides that can test any team in this division.

The fixtures look a bit nicer for the Blades than they do for Burnley. They, like Leeds, are still to play Plymouth and Stoke. Home fixtures against Blackburn Rovers and Cardiff are on the schedule too.