Championship promotion race: Middlesbrough FC capitalise as Sheffield United slip up in race to the Premier League

Boro won at Bramall Lane last month to close to within four points – albeit having played a game more – only to not cash it in last week when they lost at West Brom and United beat Watford.

Chuba Akpom put Boro ahead from a 24th-minute penalty to take his Championship tally to 20 goals.

On-loan Aston Villa midfielder Aaron Ramsey doubled the lead before the break with a fine solo effort.

Akpom added another from close range soon after the restart before Ramsey also got his second goal in the 51st minute with Marcus Forss scoring a fifth from the penalty spot.

Boro moved to within four points of second-placed Sheffield United, while Burnley edged 13 points clear of the Blades after they had to settle for a goalless draw at relegation-battlers Blackpool.

Sheffield United remain second but lost 1-0 at fourth-placed Blackburn thanks to Harry Pickering’s fifth-minute goal, finishing a clinical counter attack involving five players.

It was a long way for the performance that saw them beat Tottenham in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday night to set up a quarter-final against Blackburn at Bramall Lane in two weeks.

The Blades have picked up two points on the road in their last four games and manager Paul Heckingbottom admitted his team did not create enough to win even though the data showed otherwise.

Paul Heckingbottom said: “When we came in the analyst showed me the stats – more possession, more chances, more efforts, more on targets, more expected goals.

“That’s why I don’t go into it because for me, we weren’t at our best. We weren’t as fluid, we didn’t play with as much pace and tempo as we normally play.

“First half we passed the ball well on a really tricky pitch. We got into some good areas and lacked the quality in key moments. They had three attempts, and two of them were from counter attacks and corners, and one was from us leaving a runner so at half-time I was confident.

“I thought we’d go on and win the game, and expected us to because it’s easy to put those things right.

“But we came out in the second half and Blackburn started much better than us. We had to make changes, had to try and wrestle the momentum back and we did get back on top in terms of ball and territory.

“Regardless of the stats, I don’t think we created enough good opportunities to win the game.

“We weren’t at our fluent best with the ball but for me it was the energy.”