Leeds United’s unspoken advantage in Championship promotion race as new possibility emerges

OPINIONLeeds United’s unspoken advantage in Championship promotion race as new possibility emerges

Leeds United have three games remaining in what has been an incredible season in the Championship

Ethan Ampadu, captain of Leeds United urges fans on as Joël Piroe of Leeds United (R) celebrates scoring against Coventry.
Ethan Ampadu, captain of Leeds United urges fans on as Joël Piroe of Leeds United (R) celebrates scoring against Coventry. (Image: Lindsey Parnaby/REX/Shutterstock)

With two points separating the top three teams in the Championship we look set for a nerve-wracking final day of the season. Start growing your finger nails now because you’re going to need something to bite on when Saturday May 4 comes around.

Leeds United host Southampton on the final day and there’s every chance that by the time we reach game 46 of what will surely go down as one of the greatest Championship promotion battles ever witnessed, three teams competing for automatic promotion will have become four.

Saints currently have two games in hand, the first of which they play this evening when hosting Preston North End. Win tonight and Southampton will be within three points with a game spare, that match being a huge clash against Leicester City the following Tuesday.

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With so little to choose between the main protagonists in this plot so riddiculous it feels like it could have been scripted in Hollywood, it may be time to get the calculator out come the last day with goal difference the deciding factor in who reaches the Premier League and who faces prolonged agony in the play-offs.

In terms of goal difference, Leeds United are in the driving seat right now and such is their advantage it will take something beyond the usual drama of the Championship to change that, surely? With a goal difference of plus 42, Leeds’ advantage may only be one goal better than Leicester, but it’s a significant 10 goals ahead of Ipswich Town’s 32 tally and 15 goals better than Southampton.

Leeds boast the best defensive record in the Championship and that miserly run since the turn of the new year has helped establish a significant position in that regard. If Leeds and Ipswich do find themselves on the same points total come 2:30pm on the final Saturday, the Whites look set to come out on top in that battle.

To that end, Leeds just need to focus on winning their final three games of the season, do that and any sort of dropped points from the Tractor Boys will see the Whites finishing above Kieran McKenna’s team. And by doing that it will mean Southampton can’t catch Daniel Farke’s men too.

Ifs, buts and maybes, yes, but for all the talk of automatic promotion being out of Leeds’ own hands, there’s a very, very good chance that by simply winning their last three games the club will win promotion. Let’s cling to that, until the next obstacle no doubt emerges.

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