Championship Run-In Puts Leeds In Pole Position For Automatic Promotion
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The Championship finale promises to be one of the best in recent seasons.
Four teams are battling it out for the two automatic promotion places, while the two that miss out, will enter the playoffs.
Leicester lead the way and they are favourites with football betting sites, but Ipswich, Leeds and Southampton are ready to pounce if the Foxes slip up.
Gambling.com have analysed each team’s remaining fixtures and the findings make good reading for Leeds fans, but not so much for Saints supporters.
Favourable Run-In Can Secure Immediate Return For Leeds
Leeds travel to Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night knowing they can climb to second in the Championship, if they beat the Owls at Hillsborough.
Playing on Friday night can be a blessing as a team can enjoy the rest of the weekend watching to see rivals get on in their matches.
But it’s only a blessing if they can take care of business against their Yorkshire rivals.
Leeds are five points behind Leicester, but their run-in is the most favourable of their rivals.
Only two of their final 10 opponents are currently in the top six, and with the best home record in the league, Leeds will be confident of picking up wins against both Hull City and Southampton when they visit Elland Road.
The average league position of Leeds’ final 10 opponents is 13.1 and their winning percentage (36.8%) is also the lowest of the top-four sides.
But Leeds fans take note. The 10 reverse fixtures have seen the Whites take 1.8 points per game.
If they take the same number in the final 10 matches, they will be on 94 points, which has secured automatic promotion every season since the playoffs were introduced in the late 1980s.
However, we have already seen this term that this Championship season just isn't like the rest.
Foxes Not Home And Dry Just Yet
After losing three in a row, Leicester returned to winning ways on Tuesday night with a 1-0 win at Sunderland.
Enzo Maresca will hope their trio of losses was merely a blip and they can go unbeaten in their final 10 games and that the FA Cup doesn’t become a distraction.
Leicester face three of the sides currently in the top six; a trip to Hull City on Saturday will be followed with home games against Southampton and West Brom.
According to our stats, the Foxes have the second hardest finish to the season of the four teams in the shake up, so Leicester fans still have reasons to be a little nervous.
However, the Foxes do have a great record against their final 10 opponents, with nine wins from the 10 reverse fixtures.
Maresca’s side might need to take another 27 points from their remaining fixtures to keep ahead of the chasing pack and return to the top flight at the first opportunity.
Back-To-Back Promotions Look Likely For Ipswich
According to the leading betting apps, Ipswich were not expected to mount a challenge for promotion this season, but Town are well placed to win promotion.
Kieran McKenna is a manager on the up and is destined for bigger jobs in the future, but his immediate goal is to guide Town through the final 10 games.
Ipswich’s run-in is the second 'easiest' with an average league position of 12.1 for their remaining opponents.
A home game with Southampton and a trip to Hull City are on the schedule, and they have beaten both sides already this season.
There are reasons for optimism that Town can finish the season celebrating successive promotions and a return to the Premier League for the first time since the 2001/02 season.
Toughest Run-In Could Scupper Saints
If Southampton are to win automatic promotion, they are going to have to do it the hard way.
Currently fourth and 11 points behind Leicester, the Saints have a game in hand on their other three sides after their game at home to Preston was postponed because of a fire near their St Mary’s stadium.
It doesn’t get much tougher than trips to Leicester (1st), Ipswich (2nd) and Leeds (3rd) to come, and with an average league position of 9.8, the Saints might have to make do with a place in the playoffs, where anything can happen.
Another metric that works against Southampton is their performances against their remaining 11 opponents in their reverse fixtures, taking just 1.4 points per game, winning just four of 11 matches.
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