“I expect…” - Lee Sharpe makes Leeds United claim | OneFootball

Highlights

Former Leeds United winger Lee Sharpe believes Daniel Farke’s side will win promotion this season, whether it’s by finishing in the top two or via the play-offs.

Leeds firmly in promotion hunt

Many expected the Whites to be in the mix for promotion before a ball was kicked this season, following their relegation from the Premier League.

Not only did they manage to retain some quality individuals, but they appointed Farke, a manager who has won the Championship title twice in the past with Norwich City.

And, after a mixed start, Leeds have started to justify that confidence, with Farke’s men having picked up 22 points from the past ten games.

That has left the side third in the table, but the form of Leicester and Ipswich means Leeds still have work to do, as they trail the Tractor Boys by seven points.

Nevertheless, the top two will still be the aim, and there’s a lot of football to be played over the coming months.

And, speaking to OS, Sharpe, who had a spell with Leeds after leaving Manchester United earlier in his career, explained why he thinks the Yorkshire side will bounce back to the top-flight straight away.

He told 888sport: “I expect Leeds to get promoted. Whether they can do it via the automatic promotion positions or not is difficult. You see teams like Leicester – with Ipswich, Southampton and Leeds all chasing them down, you’d half expect them to drop off a little bit. Hopefully, Leeds can earn automatic promotion, but I think they’ll do it via the playoffs if they don’t.

“They seem to be in a good run of form at the moment, chasing down the top two. There are some big clubs around them – you’ve got Leicester, who are top of the league and Southampton, who are just behind them, so it’s a really, really tough division to get out of. It looks like the Premier League teams who got relegated last season are becoming stronger towards the second half of the season, and Leeds are no exception.”

Will Leeds win promotion?

This is shaping up to be a truly epic promotion race, as whilst the top two have been excellent, the reality is that Leeds, Southampton, and maybe even West Brom, look as though they’re capable of pushing them all the way.

The summer was pretty hectic for Leeds, but they’ve settled down now, and there is a lot of individual quality within Farke’s side that are making a difference on a regular basis.

However, they have a big December coming up, with fixtures against the likes of Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Sunderland, Ipswich and Albion before 2024. So, that will be a real stern test for Farke, and we will get a clearer idea of just how good they are over the next few weeks.

What next for Leeds United?

The first of those challenging games comes on Saturday, as Middlesbrough make the trip to Elland Road, looking to force their way into the top six.

Leeds will be confident though, as they’re yet to lose at home this season, which includes six successive wins.