Why Scott Parker believes Saturday was a 'big day' in the Championship promotion race amid Leeds United blow
Leeds United are still in the automatic promotion places but things have become very tight.
Burnley manager Scott Parker has maintained his stance of not jumping on the ‘rollercoaster’ of a Championship promotion race despite his side pulling level on points with Leeds United.
The Clarets kept an incredible 28th league clean sheet of the season to beat Bristol City 1-0 on Saturday, a result that capped off a concerning weekend for those in charge at Elland Road. Leeds twice threw away a lead to draw 2-2 against Swansea City in arguably the easiest fixture for any top-two contender, with Sheffield United beating Coventry City 3-1 on Friday night.
Parker insisted he would not focus on others last month after seeing Leeds pull seven points clear of Burnley following comeback wins over Sunderland and Sheffield United. But Daniel Farke’s side have since won one of their last five and their cushion has disappeared.
Scott Parker on Saturday’s results for Leeds United and Burnley
Sheffield United are now top, two points clear of Leeds who only sit in second by virtue of a superior goal difference to Burnley, who face the difficult task of meeting Coventry City at the CBS Arena next week. Parker’s side are now within touching distance of an automatic promotion place but the Clarets boss would not be drawn in on the results of others.
“It's a big day because we've won another game,” Parker told the Burnley Express after his side drew level on points with Leeds. “I will consistently say it, and maybe people won't believe me, but honestly, I'm not jumping on a rollercoaster of what other teams are doing. This is just solely us.
“You live on that rollercoaster, your emotions go up and down every Saturday, every Wednesday or Tuesday when other teams play. So we won today, but we now move on to Coventry. That'll be the main focus. Hopefully we can try and grind out another result there.”
Promotion race picture
Despite a dismal run of one win in five, Leeds remain in the driving seat for automatic promotion with a top-two spot very much in their hands. Farke’s side will be desperate to get back to winning ways next weekend and while Saturday lunchtime kick-offs have not been great for them, victory will be expected at relegation strugglers Luton Town.
Burnley head to Coventry City that same weekend in what will likely be one of their toughest fixtures remaining, while league leaders Sheffield United head to Oxford United. The three-team race for automatic promotion is too close to call and after Leeds’ lead disappeared, all three look set to go right down to the wire.
Leeds fans will still look to the third-last round of fixtures in which Burnley host Sheffield United as an opportunity to gain ground or extend a lead on at least one of their two main rivals - something Farke pointed to following Saturday’s draw. The Whites side host Stoke City that same day before finishing their campaign at home to Bristol City and then away at Plymouth Argyle.
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