Leeds cling on for vital win to move closer to Premier League return 

After Burnley and Sheffield United had earlier both clawed out key victories, Manor Solomon's goal moved Leeds back atop the Championship 

MANOR THE MOMENT: Leeds United's Manor Solomon scores their side's first goal of the game during the Sky Bet Championship match at the Kassam Stadium, Oxford. Pic: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

Leeds moved a step closer to the Premier League after beating Oxford 1-0 to cement their place at the top of the Championship.

Manor Solomon struck the only goal in the 34th minute when he put away Jayden Bogle's low cross at the far post.

Leeds are back on top on goal difference ahead of Burnley, who had briefly taken over at the summit earlier in the day after coming from behind to inflict a 2-1 defeat on Watford, who finished the match with nine men.

Clarets boss Scott Parker praised his side's defiance and cool heads as they moved to within one victory of an immediate return to the Premier League with a raucous 2-1 win at Vicarage Road.

Within an extraordinary 11 minutes midway through the second half, Josh Brownhill scored what proved to be the winning goal before Watford pair Moussa Sissoko and Edo Kayembe were both sent off for collecting a pair of yellow cards.

Parker said: "Throughout this year we wouldn't be where we are without the mentality we showed again today. The mindset is engrained and they react constantly to adversity.

"There's quality there, of course there is, but they just find a way to get the result every time and it's the mentality that can get you to that point. It was brilliant today.

"I'm immensely proud of this group and what we have done this year. We are very close now, but we won't change our approach for Monday's game.

"It will be a massive game on Monday against a very good side but we'll be raring to go. On Monday night we can get this done. Hopefully we can go and get the result."

Leeds and Burnley are five points clear of third-placed Sheffield United with three games to go.

Goals from Gustavo Hamer and Ben Brereton Diaz gave the Blades a 2-0 win over lowly Cardiff. Hamer tucked the ball through the legs of City keeper Ethan Horvath after 33 minutes, and substitute Brereton Diaz settled the nerves at Bramall Lane with a close-range finish three minutes from time.

Bristol City boosted their bid to join Sunderland in the play-offs with a 2-1 win against the 10-man Black Cats.

Sunderland lost Trai Hume to a red card after only seven minutes for an innocuous-looking challenge on Nahki Wells, but scored against the run of play through a sensational solo goal from Eli Mayenda.

But City's constant pressure told when Rob Dickie equalised and Ross McCrorie slammed in the winner 14 minutes from time.

West Brom are now six points adrift of the play-offs with three games to play after a 2-0 defeat at sixth-placed Coventry thanks to goals from Jack Rudoni and Matt Grimes.

The writing was on the wall for Albion when Callum Styles was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Middlesbrough are three points behind Coventry after a contentious last-minute Tommy Conway penalty secured a 2-1 win over bottom-side Plymouth.

Boro led when Finn Azaz scored against his former club but Mustapha Bundu equalised, and Argyle had Joe Edwards sent off for tripping Conway to give away the spot-kick.

Blackburn's slim play-off hopes are still alive after a thumping 4-1 win over Millwall.

A match which was goalless after 42 minutes exploded into life when Dominic Hyam headed Rovers ahead.

Mihailo Ivanovic equalised two minutes later but Sondre Tronstad fired Rovers back in front at the break, and further goals from Callum Brittain and Tronstad dented Millwall's own top-six ambitions.

In the lunchtime clash Millenic Alli's early strike handed Luton a survival lifeline as they beat fellow strugglers Derby 1-0.

Colby Bishop hit his first senior hat-trick as Portsmouth lifted themselves away from trouble with a 5-3 victory at Norwich.

Josh Sargent cancelled out Bishop's opener but Matt Ritchie fired Pompey 2-1 ahead.

Bishop tucked in a penalty before half-time and completed his treble with a neat finish early in the second half.

Canaries sub Jack Stacey pulled one back, Regan Poole hit Pompey's fifth and City's Emiliano Marcondes completed the scoring.

Ben Wilmot literally had a goal go in off his backside as Stoke eased their fears of the drop with a 2-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday.

Wilmot deflected in a clearance from Owls keeper Pierce Charles after Dutch winger Million Manhoef had put the Potters ahead.

Hull remain in trouble after slipping to a 1-0 defeat at Swansea courtesy of a Zan Vipotnik penalty, with the Tigers' Matt Crooks sent off late on.

QPR's Lucas Andersen scored a spectacular stoppage-time winner to beat Preston 2-1 after Michael Frey had cancelled out Liam Lindsay's first-half header for North End.