Joey Barton: Luton will get one automatic spot – Portsmouth, Sunderland, Barnsley & Co must fight over the other

His team were beaten 2-1 by current leaders Luton on Saturday.

Barnsley also managed a win but Pompey and Sunderland, in third and fourth, dropped points.

Barton is sure Luton will go on to claim one of the two promotion spots now.

So that would leave Kenny Jackett’s Blues having to scrap it out for the other place.

Barton is hoping he can get his Fleetwood side to the levels Luton are currently showing.

He told Fleetwood’s official website: ‘We are aiming to be a side like Luton Town and do what they’ve done so far this season. I’d expect them to go on and seal automatic promotion over the next couple of months, but it was a good test for us to see where we are as a club and where we are as a team.

‘They are a side that’s settled, a side that’s really into their flow in terms of confidence and momentum but if you came into the stadium you wouldn’t think that was the case.

‘It was a very evenly-matched contest and the one who got the first goal was probably the more likely to go on to win it.

‘But I thought the lad’s response to that was excellent, we are probably unlucky in the end.’