Leeds back on top of Championship as Premier League promotion race heats up

LONDON: It was all change at the top of English football’s second-tier Championship on Tuesday as Leeds moved from third to first on goal difference with a 1-0 win at Middlesbrough.

Burnley, meanwhile dropped from first to second following a goalless draw at Derby and Sheffield United dropped down from second to third after losing 1-0 at home to Millwall.

With only five games to go, it all makes for a fascinating finale to the season given only the top two at the end of the regular campaign are guaranteed promotion to the lucrative Premier League -- the other place will be decided by play-off games involving the teams finishing third to sixth in the standings.

Former Manchester United forward Daniel James earned Leeds a key victory in the promotion race on Tuesday. The Welsh international scored with a close-range finish just two minutes after kick-off at the Riverside, his 12th of the Championship campaign.

“It was crucial today to return back to a clean sheet,” Leeds manager Daniel Farke told Sky Sports. “Especially in the last few games we have conceded too many goals.” Leeds also had a couple of strikes disallowed, with Farke adding: “Normally when two regular goals are disallowed, you don’t win such a hard away game, but our lads found a way.”

Burnley lost their place at the summit but were still two points clear of third-placed Sheffield United after a goalless stalemate by relegation-threatened Derby at Pride Park.

“It’s a team fighting for their lives,” said Burnley boss Scott Parker, adding: “We defended exceptionally well and overall it’s a point gained and another clean sheet.” Sheffield United slipped up against Millwall, with Josh Coburn’s first-half strike good enough to give the promotion-chasing Londoners victory.

Blades manager Chris Wilder reckoned his team had “just shot ourselves in the foot really”. “The goal, from our point of view, there were so many things we could have done better to prevent that.”

Victory lifted the Lions to within three points of the top six. “I thought we deserved it,” said Millwall manager Alex Neil. “I think if you look at the clearest chances in the game they fell to us.

Sunderland remained adrift in fourth after a goalless draw at Norwich. Bristol City moved up to fifth after their 96th-minute winner in a 2-1 victory at home to West Brom. Both second-bottom Luton and third-bottom Cardiff scored injury-time equalisers to keep pace with Derby.

Stoke missed the chance to pull clear of danger after conceding to Luton in a 1-1 draw while Hull’s 1-0 defeat against Watford means they are just two points clear of the relegation zone. On Wednesday, Coventry will seek to return to the top six at home to a Portsmouth side battling to avoid the drop. Elsewhere, Swansea face bottom of the table Plymouth and Oxford take on QPR, with both clubs desperate to avoid being sucked into the relegation zone.