EFL chairman now predicts who will win promotion from the Championship, one big club misses out

The battle for promotion from the Championship is intensifying as the season approaches its climax, with Leeds United, Leicester City, and Ipswich Town emerging as the primary contenders for the top two automatic promotion spots. Southampton, another strong competitor earlier in the season, has seen their chances dwindle following a dramatic 3-2 loss to Ipswich, which occurred in the dying moments of the match. This defeat has left them trailing by 12 points behind the automatic promotion places, although they do have games in hand, including a crucial one against Leicester.

The tight race sees only a two-point gap separating Ipswich at the top from Leicester in third place. With a challenging set of fixtures remaining for all teams involved, the promotion saga is expected to have several more twists and turns.

Darragh MacAnthony, the chairman of Peterborough United, who is no stranger to the pressures of a promotion campaign himself, has offered his insights into the Championship promotion race during a talkSPORT appearance. MacAnthony has previously commented on the Championship’s dynamics and had suggested two months ago that Leeds had the potential to overtake Leicester, despite a significant points deficit at the start of the year.

Now, as the season nears its end, MacAnthony has predicted that Leeds United and Ipswich Town will secure automatic promotion, with Southampton managing to surpass Leicester in the playoffs. His exact words were, “Leeds to win, Ipswich second. And then I’d like Coventry to gate crash the playoffs but I don’t think it’ll happen, so I’ll take Southampton.”

Leeds United, for their part, must maintain their focus on their own performances and results. The Championship this season has been exceptionally competitive, with the possibility of three teams surpassing the 100-point mark. Leeds’ ability to concentrate on their own matches and not get sidetracked by their rivals’ late-game heroics has been a key factor in their success thus far. It is crucial for them to continue this approach as they navigate the remaining fixtures of the season.

Citations:
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