Enormous change in Leeds United promotion bid expected to put Whites on brink with new doubt

An enormous fresh boost in Leeds United's promotion bid is expected to put Daniel Farke's Whites on the brink of sealing a Premier League return.

Saturday's 2-1 win at home to Preston North End coupled with Sheffield United's 2-1 defeat at Plymouth Argyle has left Leeds top and with a five-point cushion in the Championship's automatic promotion places with just four games left.

Eight points from the club's final four games would mathematically guarantee a Premier League return but seven would likely be enough due to the team's far superior goal difference over the third-placed Blades - even if Chris Wilder's Blades win their last four.

Sheffield United must also visit Burnley next Monday evening where dropped points for the Blades would further reduce the number of points needed by Leeds to guarantee going up.

Monday evening's fixture between the Clarets and the Blades will mark the final game of five huge fixtures involving the breakaway top three over the course of the Easter weekend. Leeds host Stoke City on Easter Monday in a 3pm kick-off before Sheffield United go to Burnley for a 5.30pm start.

First up comes Good Friday's triple header and the bookmakers are very confident that Daniel Farke's Whites will bag the enormous fresh boost of another three-point haul in their 8pm kick-off at Oxford United.

A win at Oxford would put Leeds on the brink of promotion - even if Burnley and Sheffield United both bag victories on Good Friday too.

‘Both are favourites to do so but not strongly’...

Both are favourites to do so but not strongly, the bookies having elements of doubt about Burnley away at Watford and Sheffield United at home to relegation battling Cardiff City.

Burnley play first in a 3pm kick-off at 11th-placed Watford for which Scott Parker's Clarets are odds-on but not hugely in being a best priced 17-20.

Watford are not massive odds at 19-5 whilst the draw is on offer at 13-5.

A Sheffield United side who have lost their last three then face third-bottom Cardiff at Bramall Lane in a 5.30pm kick-off.

The Blades are a similar price to Burnley in being a best priced 8-13, albeit some firms are as short as 8-15 about a home success. The draw is on offer at 16-5 whilst Cardiff can be backed at 5s.

Leeds, though, are rated extremely confident fancies at 17th-placed Oxford in being no bigger than 4-11 but as short 2-7 with some firms to bag the win that would put them on the brink.

Despite home advantage, Gary Rowett's Us can be backed at 17-2 whilst the draw is on offer at 4-1.

Even if Burnley and Sheffield United both win, victory at Oxford would keep Leeds five points clear in the top two with just three games left.

That would then leave Leeds within one matchday of sealing automatic promotion and a victory against Monday's visitors Stoke would put the Whites one game away from going up - as would a draw due to their goal difference.

On the assumption that all three teams win on Friday, Leeds would be promoted if avoiding defeat to Stoke should Sheffield United lose at Turf Moor.

A draw between the Clarets and Blades would send Leeds up if they beat Stoke - assuming all three teams win on Good Friday.