Neil Warnock makes Burnley prediction in Leeds United "blowing up" claim | OneFootball

Leeds United's dropped points has brought Burnley within two points of the league leaders

Neil Warnock has claimed that Burnley are dark horses in the battle for automatic promotion to the Premier League this season.

Leeds United were sitting in a strong position before only taking one point from their last two games, which Scott Parker’s side have taken full advantage of.

Sheffield United have also closed the gap to Daniel Farke’s team, with the two clubs now level on points going into the final 10 games of the campaign.

Sunderland have also won while Leeds have dropped points to West Brom and Portsmouth, but remain eight points behind.

Neil Warnock makes automatic promotion race claim

Warnock has backed Leeds to go up despite some concerns over potential nerves settling in amid this poor run of results.

However, he has warned that Burnley are sitting in a comfortable position despite being third in the table, suggesting they may join the Whites in the top two by the end of the campaign.

“People will be talking about them [Leeds] blowing up now, but they’re all nervous at the top," said Warnock, via Talksport.

“I think probably Burnley are relaxing but the fixtures are thick and fast now.

“Two games each this week.

“I don’t think anybody can say who it’s going to be.

“You can say Leeds will blow it but I think Daniel is a good manager, I still think Leeds will go up but I do think Burnley are the dark horses now.”

Leeds United and Burnley recent form

Leeds were on a five-game winning run, but a draw with West Brom and a loss to Portsmouth has brought them back down to Earth.

Meanwhile, Parker’s side have won five of their last six, and have conceded just one goal in their last 14 games.

Their defensive record of 10 goals conceded in 36 fixtures has earned the team a lot of praise so far this season.

Next up for the Lancashire outfit is a home clash against West Brom on Tuesday evening in a 7.45pm kick-off.

Burnley’s lack of goals is their main promotion concern

Burnley’s defensive record is receiving a lot of plaudits, but their lack of goals could be their undoing at the end of the season.

The Clarets have scored 49 compared to Leeds’ 72, and that figure is even flattered by a couple of big wins at the start of the term, scoring nine from their first two fixtures.

From the subsequent 34 matches, Parker’s side have scored 40, which is simply not enough for a team that wants to compete in the Premier League.

This needs to improve again in the final weeks of the season to keep pace, and overhaul, one of Sheffield United or Leeds, but there will certainly be some twists and turns between now and the final week of the campaign.