"I don't see" - Sheffield United boss's promotion race verdict amid Burnley, Leeds United, Sunderland tussle

A weekend that could have turned out brilliantly or disastrously for Sheffield United ended just about even as their promotion rivals failed to really capitalise on their Friday night slip up at home to Hull City. That shock 3-0 defeat at Bramall Lane opened the door for Sunderland, and one of Leeds United and Burnley, to take advantage as the Premier League promotion race enters its final straight.

But Sunderland were pegged back by something of a surprise result of their own, with Nathanael Ogbeta’s 90th-minute equaliser sealing a point for struggling Plymouth Argyle at the Stadium of Light, before Leeds and Burnley played out one of the most turgid games of football in recent memories in a bore draw at Turf Moor on Monday evening. The net result is that United remain second, a point ahead of Burnley and two behind Leeds, ahead of their trip to Derby County this weekend.

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Sunderland sit two points behind Burnley in fourth, with a huge 11-point gap between them and West Brom and Middlesbrough who make up the rest of the play-offs. With just over a third of the season remaining it is shaping up to be a brilliant four-way battle between the best four teams in the division, who are all going about their business in different ways - and all with impressive results.

Leeds are the great entertainers, having comfortably out-scored the rest of the division with an embarrassment of riches at Daniel Farke’s disposal. Burnley are on the other end of the spectrum, with their defensive record of NINE goals conceded in 29 games frankly ridiculous. Sunderland’s young guns are attacking their promotion push with a youthful enthusiasm while the Blades have done remarkably to keep pace considering the fitness issues and lack of options in Chris Wilder’s squad.

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The cold reality of Championship football is that two of the four will be consigned to the play-offs and at least one will still be playing second-tier football next term. “It's good, innit?” said Wilder on the promotion battle. “I'll be surprised if anyone breaks into that four but it can happen. There are some good teams in there.

“Middlesbrough, and Blackburn went on a great run. The West Broms and Norwichs and other teams that have been in the Premier League and are finding it difficult to break into the top four. There's got to be a lot of credit for those teams in and around us, and what they've done so far. We're all immersed in it and looking. ‘What are Leeds doing, what are Sunderland doing, what are Burnley doing?’

“Are they looking at our result at half-time against Swansea [when United were 1-0 down] and going: 'That's alright?' Am I watching their games thinking something might happen? But you've got to compliment every team in terms of results, and I think that'll happen right the way through, listening to the pundits and the results going on and how teams are playing.

“And this is why I say we need to be at our strongest going into the last part of the season, because I don't see anyone else easing up. We've got to be strong, physically, mentally, tactically and technically, and take the big moments when they come up.”