Supercomputer predicts Championship promotion race after Leeds beat Sheffield Utd | OneFootball

The Championship promotion race set an incredibly high bar last season, and Leeds, this time around, are intent on limiting the drama.

Daniel Farke's side battled fiercely with Leicester and Ipswich Town in a bid to return to the Premier League at the first attempt, but faded late on and left themselves at the mercy of the notoriously unpredictable play-offs.

After a semi-final with Norwich was navigated with ease, Southampton sneaked past them in the sport's richest game under the Wembley arch. Another season in the second tier beckoned.

Leeds, however, have refused to feel sorry for themselves. While it looked for much of 2024/25 that the Yorkshiremen would engage in another three-way tussle for the Championship crown, a couple of huge results in February have seen them pull away at the summit.

With Farke's side leading the way, here's how Opta's supercomputer projects the 2024/25 Championship promotion race to play out.

Leeds were nowhere for the opening 20 minutes of Monday night's bout at Bramall Lane, but the visitors found their groove midway through the first half and were eventually rewarded for their superiority late in the second period.

Junior Firpo cancelled out Illan Meslier's own goal, before "Farke time" struck again as Ao Tanaka headed home the go-ahead goal 89 minutes into the contest. Joel Piroe's rocket was merely the cherry on top of the cake as Leeds moved five points clear at the summit.

After Monday's result, Opta now rates their chances of earning automatic promotion at 98.1%. They're seven points better off than Burnley in third.

The supercomputer's bullish on Leeds' chances, but it can barely separate the other two leading contenders. Sheffield Utd are two points better off than the Clarets in second, but Opta favours Burnley in the promotion race by a mere 0.48%.

Sunderland are the only other team with a slither of hope to earn automatic promotion, but back-to-back defeats in February means they'll likely have to settle for a play-off spot.

A whole host of teams will do battle for the final two play-off places, with just seven points separating West Brom in fifth and QPR in 14th. Opta's currently projecting the Baggies to finish fifth and Frank Lampard's Coventry to sneak into the final spot. Blackburn, who've just lost manager John Eustace to Derby, barely miss out.

Bristol City, Norwich, and Watford are currently ranked as outsiders.