Former Leeds United star Carlton Palmer has backed the Whites to be one of the strong contenders for automatic promotion from the Championship in the 2024/25 season.
Leeds missed out on promotion back to the Premier League at the end of last season by a whisker when they finished third and were beaten in the playoff final by Southampton at Wembley.
Daniel Farke’s side lost top players such as Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter from that team but Leeds are sitting fourth in the table going into the first international break of the campaign.
Leeds signed players such as Manor Solomon, Largie Ramazani and Ao Tanaka towards the end of the window to strengthen their squad. Their underlying numbers are better than last season at the same stage.
Carlton Palmer has backed Leeds United to be in the automatic promotion race alongside Burnley and Sheffield United.
Palmer was talking about Sunderland’s solid start to the season with regards to their promotion claims and conceded that there are teams who look to have stronger claims to finish in the top two than the Black Cats.
The former Leeds star stressed that the Whites alongside Burnley and Sheffield United, who dropped down from the Premier League last season, are some of the strong contenders for the automatic promotion spots.
“[Sunderland manager Regis] Le Bris has done very well and he has obviously brought a feel-good factor to the club”, Palmer told the Football League World.
“But they have a lot of young players and the transfer window has gone now and is closed.
“So, it will be interesting to see how they go, but it’s a fantastic start. I don’t see them as automatic promotion contenders, I really don’t.
“I just think Burnley and Leeds will be very strong, and Sheffield United will be very strong as well after coming down.
“You’ve got to remember they are on six points but were deducted two before the start of the season.
“Sunderland will be looking, you would think, to secure a play-off spot at least this season.
“Just on the basis of their start, but, for me, not automatic promotion.”
Promotion six-pointer for Leeds United after the international break.
Leeds went into the international break high on confidence after a couple of good wins and a solid end to their summer transfer window with the arrival of several new faces.
However, their claims of being an automatic promotion contender will face a stern test after the break when they will host Scott Parker’s Burnley at Elland Road on 14th September.
The Clarets are sitting two spots and a point behind Leeds after winning two of their opening four Championship games.
