"What you have to remember..." - Pundit delivers verdict on Barnsley's automatic promotion chances | OneFootball

Barnsley ended Sheffield Wednesday's 23-game unbeaten run on Tuesday evening and are cutting the gap as they chase down automatic promotion.

The Tykes are on a 12-game unbeaten run themselves now and have managed to accumulate 25 points from a possible 27 in their last nine, proving to show excellent form at the right time.

Right in the battle for automatic promotion, the Tykes now have 10 massive games before the campaign comes to an end and will be striving to avoid the lottery that is the play-offs.

Asked if he envisions Barnsley displacing either of the current top two during the concluding stages of this season, Carlton Palmer told Football League World: "Barnsley are on a terrific run, five wins in their last six.

"But, what you have to remember is that there are only 10 games to go. The teams they are up against, Sheffield Wednesday, they've played the same number of games and the Owls are six points clear. They have two games in hand on Plymouth, and should they take maximum points, they would still be two points behind them.

"Ipswich have won their last six games, Barnsley have a game in hand on them and would go level on points if they win that one.

"Barnsley are on a good run but Plymouth's run-in is good, so is Sheffield Wednesday, so I'm still sticking with my prediction that Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday will be the two that go up automatically."

The verdict

What a fantastic end to this League One season it could be, with four teams in excellent form still all vying for automatic promotion and it is very difficult to predict.

If Sheffield Wednesday can respond in a positive manner to their midweek defeat, then you will still back the Owls to secure a Championship return, with the other automatic spot madly competitive.

Barnsley and Ipswich are the two teams with the best form at this stage, and with the pair being the two currently out of the automatic promotion places, that only adds pressure to the current occupiers.