Leeds United have big advantage over Sheffield United in the next two months - they must capitalise | OneFootball

Leeds United must take advantage of their favourable fixture list to catch Sheffield United and put daylight between them and the chasing pack.

The race for automatic promotion from the Championship has heated up this week, with Sheffield United taking four points from two games and Leeds United securing a crucial six points that included an impressive 3-1 win over Middlesbrough on Tuesday night.

Promotion from the second tier to the Premier League is arguably one of the most important achievements for any EFL club. Not only does it provide the financial windfall of Premier League revenue, but it also elevates a club’s stature, attracting better players and sponsorship deals and the ability to establish a club in the elite.

For clubs like Leeds, the Blades, Sunderland, and more, — who are well-established in English football — returning to the top-flight is about more than just finances, as it is also about feeling at home and in their rightful place among the very best English football has to offer.

For clubs with parachute payments, and Premier League wage bills, there is even greater incentive. They will hope to retain their best players and know promotion is not only the best way of doing so, but the only way.

The 2024/25 race for automatic promotion is shaping up to be one of the most fiercely contested in recent memory. Daniel Farke’s Leeds and Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United currently lead the way as the top two, with both sides showing consistency and quality thus far.

Over the past 15 Championship seasons, only two sides have failed to gain promotion after picking up 40 points from their first 20 league games, which both the Blades and the Whites have done. Farke’s Leeds are in second, looking to build on a strong first half of the season with some favourable fixtures beginning with Preston North End this weekend.

Of course, the threats from Burnley under Scott Parker, Sunderland under Regis Le Bris, and Michael Carrick’s project at Middlesbrough can’t be ignored. While Carrick's Boro haven't quite found consistency, the three-season project feels like it may be at its peak and that makes them a real contender, with their attacking play culminating in a strong points tally so far.

That made Leeds' 3-1 win at Elland Road arguably the most impressive yet this season, especially with many worried about the threat Boro can pose if they can string results together, which could have begun in midweek. Now that game is out of the way, Leeds are presented with a golden opportunity to pull away from the chasing pack over the next eight games.

They face a far more favourable fixture list compared to their promotion rivals, playing teams like Preston, Oxford United, Stoke City, Derby County, Hull City, and Sheffield Wednesday – all of whom sit outside the top ten in the division. This is a crucial stretch where Farke's side could and should gain ground, especially with tougher tests coming later in the season.

Leeds' ability to navigate these fixtures successfully could define their season, with a real chance to create breathing room at the top, even if that is not necessarily over Wilder's Sheffield United side but instead over the chasing pack behind. They play against Burnley at Bramall Lane on Boxing Day, which is a win-win for Leeds during their easier run.

Burnley also face a tough away trip to Norwich, high-flying Watford, Middlesbrough again, and Stoke in their next five. Those games alone could see a gap begin to open up. Sheffield United face Plymouth Argyle and Cardiff City in their next two, but Burnley, West Brom, and Sunderland could also help Leeds out between now and the New Year.

Sunderland play four of the top ten in the league, with Swansea City, Norwich, Blackburn Rovers, and Sheffield United to come in their next five. Meanwhile, Boro face Millwall and Burnley during this period. There are no freebies in this league, but there is a distinct possibility that Leeds win many more points than all the surrounding promotion-chasing teams in the next chunk of fixtures.

Stoke and Preston both beat Farke's side last season in these tricky away games, but Leeds are a different team to last year, and will hope to start improving their away form against two sides conceding plenty of chances at the moment, and especially so in the case of Stoke.

It's paramount that Leeds put a strong run together and accumulate a healthy points tally in this next run of eight, because things get much tougher for them after that. From Burnley on 27th January until West Brom on 1st March, Leeds will face a significantly challenging run of fixtures.

It includes Burnley, Frank Lampard’s Coventry City and the narrative of that fixture; Watford away, Sunderland, Sheffield United, and West Brom. These six games will pose far greater challenges, with only Cardiff City looking like an easier fixture in that spell.

That’s why Leeds need to capitalise on their next eight games, in order to build a gap, allowing them to drop points later on without losing their grip on automatic promotion, especially with an easier-looking final two months after the beginning of March. It'll be ominous for Sheffield United, Burnley, and co. if they do.