Darren Bent rates Leeds United's promotion chances after Bristol City stalemate
Pundit Darren Bent expects Leeds United to be firmly in the mix for automatic promotion, despite their drab draw at Bristol City. The Whites squandered the chance to go top of the Championship for a couple of hours on Saturday as they failed to beat a stubborn Robins side.
Leaders Sunderland pounced on United's slip up, recording a 2-0 win over Oxford United to open up a five-point advantage on their rivals. Second-placed Burnley were held to a goalless draw at home by Queens Park Rangers.
Although the Whites recorded a seventh clean sheet of the season at Ashton Gate, their much-vaunted forward line failed to shine. Bent was left unimpressed with their performance, claiming United lacked "a real clear plan and a real team strategy" to break down Liam Manning's team.
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On their promotion prospects, Bent told talkSport: “It’s a long way to go and there’s still a lot of points to play for. I still think there will be teams better than them this season that could potentially go up automatically, but I fully expect Leeds to be there or thereabouts come the end of the season. Whether it be automatic or whether it be play-offs, I think Leeds will be there or thereabouts.”
Third-placed United return to action on Saturday when they go head-to-head with Plymouth Argyle. The Pilgrims, managed by former Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney, are languishing in the lower reaches of the division after picking up just three victories from 12 matches.