Sport nationIpswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has admitted that his side’s promotion push has happened faster than expected, as they sit three points clear of Leeds United with just one game remaining in the Championship.
McKenna’s side beat Coventry City 2-1 on Tuesday, with Kieffer Moore and Cameron Burgess scoring either side of half-time to secure a crucial three points. Haji Wright’s drilled effort cancelled out Moore’s opener shortly after half-time, but Ipswich rallied well to take the win.
The victory saw Ipswich climb back into second place, and they now need just a point at home to relegated Huddersfield Town on Saturday to guarantee promotion to the Premier League. McKenna acknowledged that the promotion push has accelerated faster than anyone expected, saying: “I don’t think anyone was expecting this to be honest. We wanted to come up, keep building a culture and impose our style of play. There’s 46 games to put our identity out there, to see how many points we get.”
Leeds United, on the other hand, need a final-day miracle to pip Ipswich to the second automatic promotion place. Daniel Farke’s side host Southampton at Elland Road and must win to stand any chance, while also needing West Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town to do them a huge favor in beating Ipswich at Portman Road.
A point or more for Ipswich on Saturday will consign Leeds to the drama of playoff football, with regrets still lingering over missed opportunities to increase the gap. Leeds could have gone four points clear with victory at Queens Park Rangers on Friday but capitulated to lose 4-0 – their heaviest defeat of the season at the worst possible time.
A third-placed finish will see Leeds come up against the sixth-placed finishers in the playoff semi-finals, with West Brom currently occupying that spot. Any one of West Brom, Norwich City, or Hull City could end up in that position come Saturday. Fourth-placed Southampton will play either Norwich or West Brom, with the winners of each two-legged semi-final meeting at Wembley for the final on Sunday, May 26.
Leeds have not enjoyed a good record in the playoffs, with all five attempts to be promoted via that avenue ending in heartbreak both in the Championship and League One. Marcelo Bielsa’s side contrived to lose at home to Derby County in the most recent effort during the 2018/19 campaign.
McKenna, meanwhile, is focused on securing promotion and capping off an incredible season for Ipswich. He said: “It was another emotional night, we’ve had a few of those. It’s a great night to enjoy in front of our supporters. We know the significance of tonight won’t be determined until Saturday, and that’s our next focus now.”
Ipswich have done remarkably well to find themselves in this position, with 93 points from 45 games an incredible tally. McKenna acknowledged that the journey has accelerated faster than he expected, saying: “I came here because of the ambition of the club. The journey has accelerated, I have to say.”
The final day of the Championship season promises to be a thrilling conclusion to an enthralling campaign. Ipswich will be hoping to secure promotion in front of their home fans, while Leeds will be praying for a miracle to pip them to the second automatic promotion place. The playoffs await for the teams that miss out, with the drama and tension set to continue long after the final whistle blows on Saturday.
In the context of Leeds United’s season, the defeat to Queens Park Rangers on Friday was a devastating blow. The 4-0 loss was their heaviest defeat of the season, and it came at the worst possible time. With promotion rivals Ipswich Town winning at Coventry City, Leeds’ defeat meant they slipped to third place, three points behind Ipswich with just one game remaining.
The defeat was a stark contrast to Leeds’ dominant performance at home to Leicester City just a few days earlier. On that occasion, Leeds won 2-1, with Crysencio Summerville and Junior Firpo scoring either side of half-time to secure a crucial three points. The win had put Leeds in control of their promotion destiny, but the defeat at Queens Park Rangers has now left them relying on other results to go their way.
Leeds’ form has been patchy in recent weeks, with just two wins in their last five games. They have struggled to find consistency, with a 2-1 win at Swansea City followed by a 1-1 draw at home to Millwall. The defeat at Queens Park Rangers was a major setback, and Leeds will need to regroup quickly if they are to salvage their promotion hopes.
In contrast, Ipswich Town have been in excellent form, with five wins in their last six games. They have been clinical in front of goal, scoring 13 goals in their last six games, and have conceded just three in that time. Their win at Coventry City was a hard
Sport nation
