Burnley and Blades are a class apart
With the Football League at the halfway point of a gruelling race, Sportsmail assesses who will go the distance and who is heading for a fall . . .
CAN ANYONE CATCH THE RUNAWAY LEADERS?
No. burnley and Sheffield United are a class above every other team in the Championship and both are already playing like Premier League outfits.
one wondered if the World Cup break might stall burnley’s procession to promotion but in easing past birmingham on Tuesday night, they proved they will not let up.
Their average possession has increased from just 39 per cent under Sean Dyche last season to 63 per cent this term.
only Manchester City and Swansea have had a higher share of play in England’s top four leagues but they also move the ball efficiently and play aggressive, slick football.
The job Vincent Kompany is doing at Turf Moor is nothing short of extraordinary, especially given the state of the club he inherited.
‘burnley are like a robot which analyses its opponents’ fight patterns and gets better as the fight goes on. They could make a mockery of the Championship in the second half of the season,’ was the verdict on the brilliant Second Tier Podcast this week.
burnley lead the race for promotion on 50 points and of the 13 previous teams to reach a half- century after 24 matches, 12 have been promoted — Leeds in 2018-19 the outlier.
one of just two teams to beat burnley this season are Sheffield United, who have won seven of their last eight games under Paul Heckingbottom.
The blades are eight points clear of third-placed blackburn and that gap only looks like growing. Heckingbottom’s side have been riddled with injuries this term, which may be ominous for rivals as they can only get better.
Senegal forward Iliman Ndiaye has been one of the standout stars with nine goals and four assists, while Manchester City loanee Tommy Doyle has impressed at the heart of midfield.
WHAT IS GOING WRONG AT CARROW ROAD?
DEAN SMITH was sacked by Norwich on Tuesday after a run of three wins in 13 games led fans to call for his head.
Smith never built a relationship with the Carrow Road faithful after replacing club legend Daniel Farke. He could not avoid an inevitable relegation last term and the club have not got going again in the second tier.
The final nail in Smith’s coffin came on boxing Day when the Canaries fell to a 90th-minute loss at Luton. The manager failed to acknowledge the travelling fans as he trudged across the pitch at Kenilworth Road.
The damage had been done long before, with Smith stating before Christmas he was glad Norwich’s next game was away from Carrow Road, hinting he could not bear to face the disgruntled fans.
Swansea’s Russell Martin has been linked with the job, as have Scott Parker, Dyche and Mark Robins. Martin’s MK Dons and Swansea sides were known for their possession game and he would arrive with the fans onside, having made 308 Norwich appearances in his playing days.
HOW MANY TEAMS ARE IN THE PLAY-OFF RACE?
JUST three points separate fifth from 16th in the Championship. The wheels seem to be coming off at third-placed blackburn, with Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side losing three of their last four games.
They were beaten by Sunderland on boxing Day and the black Cats look a good shout for the play-offs. Tony Mowbray has continued the job alex Neil started, with Manchester United loanee amad Diallo starring — often gliding past players with ease.
Watford look capable of putting pressure on the top two at times but failed to impress during a boxing Day defeat by Millwall.
Slaven bilic is the seventh Hornets boss since the start of 2020 and it seems he will be backed in the transfer window, but Watford’s lack of consistency is a worry, with the likes of Ismaila Sarr too often ghosting.
Gary Rowett’s Milwall are looking good, with Zian Flemming’s 10 goals bettered only by Viktor Gyokeres of Coventry and Middlesbrough’s Chuba akpom — both on 12 — this season. Middlesbrough have turned a corner under Michael Carrick and do not write off West brom. The baggies were bottom after Carlos Corberan’s first match but the Spaniard has won six of his last seven.
AND THE BOTTOM?
HOW much of a sliding- doors moment does last season’s play-off final look? Huddersfield would have beaten Nottingham Forest but for some abhorrent refereeing decisions and we would have been talking about them as a Premier League club.
Instead, seven months on, the Terriers prop up the table having won just six matches all season. Indeed, they could be just the second team to lose the play-off final and be relegated in the following campaign, after Leeds in 2006-07.
Wigan are yet to win under Kolo Toure, while blackpool have not won in seven matches and Nigel Pearson’s bristol City seem to be in freefall.
Hull have shown a minor improvement under Liam Rosenior and look better at the back, but have struggled to score. oscar Estupinan has nine goals but seven of those came in august.
WHAT ABOUT LEAGUE ONE?
PLYMOUTH have been the standout team of League one and lead the way on 50 points, just ahead of Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich.
‘Schuey’s at the wheel,’ is the chant of the argyle faithful about Liverpool-born boss Steven Schumacher and it seems the only thing that could derail a promotion push is losing the manager.
He has been linked with Championship jobs but seems to be driving argyle to automatic promotion. Plymouth have beaten every team in the top eight.
Former Manchester United coach McKenna has now taken charge of 46 league games at Ipswich — equating to a full season. He’s won 25 of those, taking an impressive 89 points and keeping 22 clean sheets.
but Sheffield Wednesday will challenge the Tractor boys and argyle all the way. Darren Moore’s side have won 91 points in 2022 — more than any team in the EFL.
AND LEAGUE TWO?
LEYTON ORIENT are steaming towards promotion under Richie Wellens, winning 16 of 22 games ahead of their trip to Newport tomorrow evening.
More importantly, the os are 16 points clear of fourth, and Wellens has been dubbed ‘Richie Guardiola’ by some due to his expertise in positional play.
They drew 0-0 with Stevenage on Tuesday and criticised the second- place team as ‘dirty’ but Steve Evans’ side are well-organised and hard-working.
Northampton missed out on promotion to Joey barton’s bristol Rovers on goals scored last season — after the Gas won 7-0 on the final day — but are back in the upper reaches of League Two.
The Cobblers boast League Two’s top scorer Sam Hoskins, who was compared to Paolo Di Canio on boxing Day for his scissor-kick goal at Mansfield.
Unlike in previous seasons, we lack a ‘basket-case club’ in League Two, which makes the relegation battle tighter than ever.
Gillingham and Rochdale occupy the bottom two spots after Hartlepool put together two straight wins, with Colchester also in grave danger of the drop.