"I fancied Leeds United and Luton Town" - Carlton Palmer issues firm promotion prediction | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer believes that Luton, along with Leeds, Burnley and Sheffield United will be near the top at the end of the season

Carlton Palmer's stance on the teams that he believes will be challenging for promotion this season has remained unchanged despite Sunderland and West Brom currently sitting clear in the top two as it stands.

The 2024/25 campaign is still young after just four games, with the first international break now underway, but the top six has taken a different outlook so far compared to what many may have expected.

The Black Cats are unbeaten and sit top of the league, while the Baggies are just two points behind in second, with Watford, Leeds United, Blackburn Rovers and Burnley making up the rest of the top six.

Palmer predicted the likes of Leeds and Burnley to be up there this season, but his pre-season tip Sheffield United are lagging slightly behind in eighth, albeit they would be sixth if not for their points deduction, while his forecast of Luton Town to have a strong campaign is currently not going to plan, with them down in 23rd and yet to win a league game so far.

Carlton Palmer stands firm on Championship promotion view

Speaking exclusively to Football League World shortly after the conclusion of the fourth round of matches and the opening month of the Championship campaign, Palmer stood firm by the view he took on his favourites for promotion before the season began, and also tipped another strong starter to keep their form up throughout the campaign.

He said: “Looking at the table, I don’t really think it takes shape until after ten games.

“I think you certainly can look at it after ten games and get a guide to how the season may go.

“I fancied Leeds United and Luton Town to get automatic promotion, but Luton are sat second from bottom in the table right now.

“I certainly didn’t see that happening, three defeats in their first four games, but there is still a long way to go in the season.

“Leeds (have had) so many upheavals and especially late on in the transfer window, and they’re in a play-off position so I’m not going to change my view on that.

“I said Sheffield United (to be promoted) and it depended on how they were able to deal in the transfer window, and Chris Wilder dealt very well late on. They’re still unbeaten and would be sat only four points off the top of the table if not for their two-point deduction.

“As for Burnley, I predicted that they would be there or thereabouts at the top, so nothing has really changed for me, it's still early days and the four clubs that I predicted should be up there.

“I didn’t envisage that Sunderland would be top of the league unbeaten, and I didn’t envisage West Brom being second.

“I thought West Brom would be around the play-offs, but Sunderland, I didn’t expect their transformation to take place as quickly as it has done in such a short period of time.

“Twelve points on the board after four games, and the way they’re playing makes them serious candidates for the play-offs.

“I think Leeds are going to grow stronger, Burnley will be strong and so will Sheffield United, because all of those clubs have the power, come January, to go and reinvest in their squad.”

Palmer's predictions have a long time to come true

The former England defender's tip for Leeds, Burnley and Sheffield United to be challenging for promotion by next May all look likely to become a reality as the season progresses, with all three clubs near the top right now despite still feeling the effects of respectively busy transfer windows, each losing some of their star players, and new ones being given time to bed in.

Luton, however, are a different story, and boss Rob Edwards will hope that his side clicks sooner rather than later or he could face a tricky few months ahead after a poor start to the new campaign.

Many expected the Hatters to be one of the strongest teams out of the blocks in the Championship, after they gave a good account of themselves in the Premier League despite relegation, but that has not been the case due to a mixture of injuries and a young team having to adapt to life back in the second-tier.

Edwards' men fell to a 4-1 home defeat on the opening day against Burnley, then drew 0-0 at new boys Portsmouth, lost to fellow strugglers Preston 1-0, and then were beaten 2-1 by QPR at Kenilworth Road last time out, despite taking an early lead.

It is clear that they are experiencing issues at both ends of the pitch, but Edwards will hope that once new men like Mark McGuinness and Reuell Walters get used to his style of play, and the likes of Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo find their shooting boots, things will begin to look up and they will start to win games again.