Sports presenter Richard Keys has referenced Sheffield United, Leeds United and Burnley in his criticism of the parachute payments system.

The three clubs currently make up the Championship's top three, having all fallen out from the Premier League since 2023. Writing in his personal blog yesterday, broadcaster Keys said: “Have you looked at the top of the Championship recently? Two of the top three were relegated last season – Sheff Utd and Burnley – and squeezed in between them are Leeds, who went down the previous season. Are we surprised?

"Rick Parry [EFL chairman] is right when he argues that parachute payments distort competition in that league.”

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The Whites will be chasing back-to-back Championship wins when they resume their promotion bid at home to Middlesbrough this evening. Saturday's 2-0 win over Derby County helped United move back into the automatic promotion places. It was their seventh successive Elland Road success.

But Whites boss Daniel Farke expects fifth-placed Boro to provide a stiff test of their promotion credentials. “We are aware that Middlesbrough is for me, one of the best teams also individually in this league," said the German. “They have lots of quality and many, many options, especially in the offensive positions with Tommy Conway, Latte Lath, who both score goals.

“Then top winger options with Ben Doak, with Isaiah Jones, who came in in the last games also with Finn Azaz. So several other really good options. We know it's especially attacking-minded, one of the best sides in this league that you can face. For that it's also important that our defensive players are spot-on, but also that our compactness is spot-on.”