Pundit makes prediction involving Portsmouth, Derby County and Bolton Wanderers | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer has given his prediction for who will earn promotion from League One to the Championship this season.

The battle for automatic promotion from the third tier is incredibly close as we head into March.

The top three don’t have the same amount of games played, which also makes it difficult to predict what will happen in the coming months.

But the gap from third to first is just seven points, with Portsmouth leading the way while having also played the most fixtures.

Derby County and Bolton Wanderers are level on points in second and third, with the Rams ahead due to a superior goal difference, but Ian Evatt’s side also holds a game in hand.

Palmer has tipped the current top two of Pompey and Derby to seal automatic promotion to the Championship.

The 58-year-old expects a tight battle between Barnsley and Bolton Wanderers for the third promotion place, predicting the Whites to make their second division return through the play-offs.

“Portsmouth have had a fantastic season so far, and they’re the form team without doubt,” Palmer exclusively told Football League World.

“Four wins, two draws in their last six games, on 73 points.

“Although Derby County have a game in hand on Portsmouth, and Bolton have two games.

“Should Bolton win their two games in hand, that would put them on 72 points, so they would only be a point behind Portsmouth.

“But I believe that Portsmouth will go on to win the Sky Bet League One title.

“I said all along that Derby County would go up in second place, so I am still going to stick with that.

“Yet, I think Derby, four wins, one draw, one defeat in their last six games, [had a] disappointing result for them away at Barnsley at the weekend, but I still believe Portsmouth and Derby will go up.

“And then, I think it will be between Bolton Wanderers and Barnsley, and that’s a tough one to call.

“But I will go with three teams, Portsmouth, Derby automatic and Bolton will be the third team to go up, via the play-offs.”

League One table

Portsmouth’s gap at the top of the League One table was extended to seven points last weekend with a 0-0 draw away to Charlton Athletic.

Derby and Bolton both play midweek to make up some of the ground they lost to Portsmouth in terms of games played.

Paul Warne’s side will catch up to Pompey with 34 played each when they host the Addicks on Tuesday night, where they will close the gap to four points with a win.

Meanwhile, Bolton will still have a game in hand after their clash away to Wigan Athletic, where victory will also put them four points adrift of John Mousinho’s team.

League One promotion battle will be close

It’s still difficult to say with any certainty which teams will earn a top two place and which will have to handle the play-offs because it is so close.

Derby and Portsmouth have performed extremely well, and may well be favourites, but Bolton won’t make it easy on them.

The decline in form of Peterborough United has helped clear the picture a bit, as the Posh were right in the mix until their losing run.

But Barnsley could yet get involved if they can continue their current form, offering a warning to the top three that they will punish any slip-ups in form.