"Thrown it away" - Burnley FC tipped to edge Sheffield United in tight promotion race | OneFootball

FLW's Burnley pundit reasons as to why his side will beat Sheffield United to that second automatic spot.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

For much of the season, it seemed like a four-horse race for promotion, but recent results have seen Burnley and Sheffield United emerge as the final contenders for the second automatic promotion spot.

Leeds United's successive Monday night victories over Sunderland and the Blades have cemented their place at the top, leaving them with a seven-point advantage over the Clarets in third.

Meanwhile, the Black Cats, already playing catch-up, have slipped further behind, and overturning an eight-point deficit to Sheffield United in the final 12 games now looks a tall order.

However, for Scott Parker's side, the deficit stands at just two points and with a fixture still to come against Chris Wilder's side, promotion is still essentially in the hands of Burnley.

We are seemingly set for 12 games of drama and unpredictability, with the crucial match on the 21st of April potentially proving decisive in determining who joins the Whites in promotion.

Burnley's defence pinpointed as key factor for promotion hope

With the battle for an automatic spot heating up, Football League World decided to speak to their resident Claret, Will Lancaster, who revealed that their defensive nous could be crucial to pipping Sheffield United to that second spot.

"It’s probably a bit of a cliché at this moment, but that clean sheet record, and the fact we haven’t conceded more than one goal in a game all season, could be massive in the promotion race," said Lancaster.

"I think Leeds will run away with it now. They can outscore anyone, and they have quality all over the pitch.

"It’s a two-horse race, and both teams will be keeping an eye on results. If you’re Sheffield United and you had a chance to go top but have thrown it away, you now have Burnley breathing down your neck – a side that doesn’t concede goals. That mentality shift after that Leeds result could be huge.

"Obviously, we don’t score as many as them, and I think they have won the most games in the league, joint with Leeds.

"But at this point, eking out a few draws could be vital, and every single point will count. If they collapse like they did against Leeds and Hull, it could really hurt them and might just see us over the line."

Burnley's defensive excellence under Scott Parker

Before arriving at Turf Moor, Parker wasn’t particularly renowned for his defensive expertise, but this season his backline has been performing at a level rarely seen in the Championship.

Across 34 games, they have conceded just nine goals and in the past 12 league fixtures they haven't conceded a goal. This is largely down to a settled starting XI, with the players up front contributing just as much to their success as those at the back.

James Trafford has been superb in goal while CJ Egan-Riley and Maxime Esteve have been playing with a maturity well beyond their years.

Even if they do begin to concede more in line with the average, it’s hard to see that defence crumbling anytime soon, which could be crucial in the run-in.

Ensuring they avoid defeat has clearly been the priority, and if the likes of Zian Flemming and Marcus Edwards can make an impact going forward, they could have the perfect formula for success in the final stages of the campaign.