Burnley and Leeds hoping to clinch promotion – EFL preview

Easter weekend in the EFL is an English football staple and, after a pulsating round of games on Good Friday, we’re all set to go again on Monday.

There are three games of the regular season remaining and plenty of drama in store at the top and bottom of the Championship, League One and League Two.

It has been an exciting race for automatic promotion from the Championship, with Leeds United, Burnley and Sheffield United swapping places in the top three for much of the season.

But three defeats in succession for the Blades recently has opened up a five-point gap between themselves and the top two. Although they returned to winning ways against Cardiff City on Good Friday, they may be consigned to a place in the play-offs in order to secure an immediate Premier League return come Monday night.

Chris Wilder’s men travel to Burnley (17:30 BST) knowing a loss, coupled with a Leeds win over Stoke at Elland Road (15:00) will end their hopes of a top-two finish.

But Leeds boss Daniel Farke isn’t getting too carried away after his side’s 1-0 win at Oxford United on Friday.

“I’ve had so many games in this crazy league, I know what can happen,” he told BBC Radio Leeds.

“We are in really good shape. When you hit win after win after win in the crunch-time period it is always really good. We are in a good position but nothing is done yet.

“You have to fight for every point. The upcoming games will be difficult, you have to keep your nerve. This league is relentless and to succeed you have to be relentless and this is what we are but we have to keep going. “

Burnley, meanwhile, control their own destiny and manager Scott Parker has no doubts about his squad’s mentality as they look to complete the job.

“This group, in terms of a mindset, just find a way,” he told BBC Radio Lancashire.

“There is quality there of course, but in those moments, the mentality can get you there. “

It has been a long, hard season for Plymouth Argyle, who had won just four of 23 Championship matches when Wayne Rooney departed in December.

Since then, they have kept themselves in with a chance of survival under Miron Muslic, but their time is running out fast.

Their last-gasp defeat at Middlesbrough on Friday was a body blow to their hopes of staying up, and they could be all but extinguished if results go against them on Monday.

They host Frank Lampard’s in-form Coventry City side, while Derby County, hovering just above the drop zone, travel to West Brom. While the gap between the two sides is only three points, Argyle’s poor goal difference is the problem; it is 28 goals worse than the Rams’.

Effectively, if the Pilgrims are beaten by Coventry and Derby win at the Hawthorns, they will be six points adrift with two games remaining and facing a near impossible task to stay up but Muslic will be buoyed by his side having won their last two games at Home Park – against Sheffield United and Norwich.

After Birmingham’s title win, the race for the second automatic promotion spot in League One is looking extremely tight, with Wrexham one point behind Wycombe.

But arguably the most exciting battle is that for the final play-off place, with six points separating Leyton Orient, the current occupiers, and Blackpool in 10th. The Tangerines also have a game in hand, though it is against the champions.

Steve Bruce’s side welcome Wrexham, while Orient travel to struggling Cambridge who could be relegated on Monday if they fail to win.

Reading, level on points with the O’s, go to Mansfield while eighth and ninth-placed Bolton and Huddersfield go to Lincoln and Stockport respectively.

Defeat for the Terriers would end their hopes of an instant Championship return, with the gap currently standing at five points for them after their home defeat to Cambridge on Friday.

Interim boss Jon Worthington told BBC Radio Leeds that his side will fight until the end to keep promotion hopes alive.

“Until it is mathematically impossible, we’ll keep fighting,” he said. “We have to do that for the club.

“Stockport are a good side, they’ve had a really good season but we’ve got to focus on ourselves. “

Carlisle United looked all but certain to exit the EFL this season when Mark Hughes arrived as manager in February.

But they now have a genuine hope of survival after winning their last three games, cutting the gap to safety from nine points to four.

Friday’s 3-2 victory over leaders Port Vale puts them four points behind Tranmere Rovers, who go to Barrow on Monday, and six adrift of Accrington Stanley, their next opponents.

While Accrington received a confidence boost by beating Salford on Friday, it was their first win in six, and Hughes is hoping his side can add more pressure on those above them with another win.

“We’re still fighting,” Hughes told BBC Radio Cumbria. “It isn’t over until its over. We’re in the best possible place; momentum is important at any stage but for us to win three games back-to-back is huge for us. “

Bottom club Morecambe will be relegated if they fail to beat Salford.

Meanwhile, the race at the top is equally as captivating. With seven points separating leaders Port Vale and Notts County in sixth, all the teams in between have hope of going up automatically.

Vale will be looking to bounce back from the loss at Carlisle when they host a Grimsby Town side very much still in the play-off race.

It is a similar permutation for second-placed Doncaster Rovers, who host Colchester, a team who sit level on points with Grimsby in the final play-off spot.