Leeds United ‘have a soft belly’ and will NOT win automatic promotion to the Premier League, says ex-manager Neil Warnock
The Whites are only one point off the top two, but Warnock believes Norwich and Sheffield United will be too strong
Neil Warnock has praised Leeds United and manager Marcelo Bielsa, but believes the club will fall just short of automatic promotion to the Premier League this season.
The former Whites boss believes Leeds ‘have a soft belly’ and will not be strong enough to overcome Norwich City or Sheffield United at the top of the Championship.
Leeds suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to the Blades in their last league outing, which left them one point outside the top two with eight games of the campaign remaining.
They still have every chance, of course, but Warnock says Bielsa’s side are more vulnerable defensively than their rivals, and this makes Norwich and Sheffield United favourites to go up.
“Leeds, what a club,” he said on Thursday’s Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast.
LIVE on talkSPORT
There are seven live commentaries across the talkSPORT network this week. Find out what they are and where to hear them, below...
- Kazakhstan vs Scotland (Thursday) – talkSPORT 2
- England vs Czech Republic (Friday) – talkSPORT
- Walsall vs Barnsley (Saturday) – talkSPORT 2
- Shrewsbury vs Portsmouth (Saturday) – talkSPORT 2
- Gibraltar vs Republic of Ireland (Saturday) – talkSPORT 2
- San Marino vs Scotland (Sunday) – talkSPORT 2
- Netherlands vs Germany (Sunday) – talkSPORT 2
“They fill the stadium every game whatever division they’re in and they’re just so desperate to get back into the Premier League.
“He’s done a good job, Bielsa, but I think Leeds will miss out.
“I just think Leeds have got a soft belly at times at the back when they’re under pressure, in comparison with the other two.
“I think Sheffield United will be very, very difficult to push out of that top two.
LATEST FOOTBALL NEWS
“Chris Wilder has built a good side, they were one of the best teams we played last year and he’s got a way of playing that’s very difficult to play against.
“I think Norwich and Sheffield United are the favourites.”