Dowie gunning for second spot
22 Mar 2006 - 08:30:21
Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie is confident his side can overhaul second-placed Sheffield United and win automatic promotion following their 1-0 win at fourth-placed Leeds.
Jobi McAnuff scored the only goal of the game on 43 minutes at Elland Road to put the Eagles to within eight points of second spot and prevent Leeds from closing the gap on the Blades to just a single point.
Dowie insists there is a good possibility that his side can return to the Premiership without the need for the play-offs and urged his players to pick up another three points against Derby this weekend.
He said: "It's feasible. We will see how we go. Sheffield United have had a fantastic season and Reading have been without fault, omnipotent.
"There are some big games. It is going to be fantastic. You can take seven or eight sides and any of those sides could grace the play-offs and it is going to be very, very interesting.
"If I had any hair to lose I would be worried about it."
He added: "I said after the draw with Ipswich on Saturday that we would be disappointed if we did not get a result here and we backed it up with a big performance. You come to Leeds United and all it holds - you look at the players around the place - it's a big place to come.
"We have got a good bunch of players who have got belief in themselves so we have just got to keep going if we don't go to Derby and get a result."