Gary Lineker fires clear warning at Leeds, Sheffield United and Burnley | OneFootball

The Match of the Day presenter has cited recent play-off history for the Championship's third-placed team as a warning for Leeds, Burnley and Blades.

Match of the Day presenter and pundit Gary Lineker has sent a warning to Leeds United, Sheffield United and Burnley over the dangers of finishing third in the Championship this season.

The race for automatic promotion to the Premier League is heating up as we prepare to turn the final bend in yet another dramatic second tier season.

Leeds and Sheffield United sit level at the top of the division, with Daniel Farke's side only sitting in top spot thanks to their superior goal difference over Chris Wilder's men.

Scott Parker's Burnley are breathing hotly down their necks, however, with just two points separating the top three ahead of Tuesday night's latest round of Championship fixtures.

"You know what happens" - Gary Lineker sends third-place warning to Leeds, Sheffield United and Burnley

Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast via Leeds Live, Lineker has cited recent Championship play-off history to warn Leeds, Sheffield United and Burnley over the fate they may endure for whichever side finishes third this season.

He said: "One of them [Leeds, Sheffield United or Burnley] has to go in the play-offs; it's going to be two from three.

"It's so tight, and you know what happens in the play-offs, it's so often the team in third that misses out. We’ll see what happens."

Lineker is right to warn the Championship's leading trio too, as three of the last five third-placed teams have all lost in the Championship play-off final, with just Luton Town and Brentford successfully securing their place in the Premier League through the play-offs from that position during that time.

Therefore, whilst recent history would suggest that whichever side ends up in that position this season has a good chance of reaching the play-off final, getting the job done at Wembley Stadium is far from a certainty.

Second Championship automatic promotion spot could be decided in monumental clash in late April

Whilst Leeds' 1-1 draw with West Brom being followed up with a shock 1-0 away defeat to Portsmouth on Sunday was a reminder of the twists and turns still to come before the curtain falls, the Whites still appear destined to secure one of the two automatic promotion spots this season.

However, the second and final place could be decided in an almighty clash in prospect at Turf Moor on Monday 21 April, as Burnley play host to Sheffield United with just two games left in the season following that meeting.

Therefore, should the two sides keep pace with one another until that point, the outcome of that game could decide which team has to face the play-offs.