Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock has tipped Ipswich Town for automatic promotion despite his team holding the Portman Road side to a 1-1 draw.

George Burley's team were disappointingly below par in the draw, which keeps them in fourth place in Nationwide Division One, just behind the automatic promotion spots.

David Johnson's first-half penalty - his 15th goal of the season - was matched by a super strike from Marcus Bent eight minutes into the second half.

But despite the result, Warnock said he had seen enough to think Ipswich would go one step further and make the Premiership this time around at the expense of fellow promotion candidates Manchester City and Barnsley.

He said: "For the first time in my career coming to Ipswich I thought we had a chance. I still think they will go up. I see them and Charlton as the two best teams in the division, without a doubt.

"It's a superb stadium - the groundsman should get an award the pitch is so good - and I would love them to go up for George's sake."

Meanwhile, Burley said he hoped to conclude contract negotiations with fans favourite and skipper Matt Holland this week.

Holland, who was last week linked with a £3.5m move to Tottenham, confirmed talks are nearing a successful conclusion.

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