Ipswich Town: How the Blues' run-in compares with promotion rivals

Leicester City are still eyeing up the record points total in the Championship (Image: PA)

Leicester City

Record: W25, D3, L6 – 78 points

Run-in: QPR (H), Sunderland (A), Hull City (A), Southampton (H), Bristol City (A), Norwich City (H), Birmingham City (H), Millwall (A), Plymouth Argyle (A), West Brom (H), Preston North End (A), Blackburn Rovers (H)

Key fixtures

Leicester’s upcoming run of games looks difficult.

A trip to Hull City will be one that they’re expected to win, but the Tigers are one of just three sides to have taken all three points at the King Power Stadium so far this season.

They’ll fancy their chances at home to off-form Southampton, who are the only automatic promotion contenders that Enzo Maresca’s side have to face before the end of the season. That being said, if the Saints can rekindle their form, it may be a much harder challenge than they expect.

A home match against Norwich City will also be testing, with the Canaries looking like a totally different side to the one that the Foxes dispatched with ease at Carrow Road back in September.

Verdict

There’s no denying that Leicester have been dragged right back into the automatic promotion battle, never mind the title fight. Had they won at Elland Road, we’d probably be talking about three teams fighting over second place, but it’s wide open now.

It’s all about how they react now. Consecutive defeats are nothing new for the Foxes. Middlesbrough’s counter-attacking style was a nightmare for them to handle, and Leeds are probably the best team in the league on current form. They need to get back into their rhythm of grinding out results, even when they’re not at their best, and games against the likes of QPR, Sunderland and Hull will give them a chance to do that.

They still boast a six point lead on the teams in second and third, and with so few games left, it’d take quite a remarkable slip-up for them to relinquish the title or even a top-two finish. It certainly isn’t out of the question. If it does happen, Leeds and Ipswich would surely be there to pick up the pieces.

It’s hard to imagine a world in which they don’t make it back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, however. They'll still have eyes on the record points total in the Championship (106, achieved by Reading in 2005/06).

Leeds United are currently on a nine-match winning streak in the league (Image: PA)

Leeds United

Record: W22, D6, L6 – 72 points

Run-in: Huddersfield Town (A), Stoke City (H), Sheffield Wednesday (A), Millwall (H), Watford (A), Hull City (H), Coventry City (A), Sunderland (H), Blackburn Rovers (H), Middlesbrough (A), QPR (A), Southampton (H)

Key fixtures

Based on current league position, Leeds have by far the easiest run-in of the four candidates for automatic promotion.

Although Sheffield Wednesday are battling relegation, their performances have improved massively under Danny Rohl, leading to four wins from five games. Going to Hillsborough won’t be easy.

Similarly, Hull have already bagged away wins at Leicester and Southampton. Daniel Farke’s men are unbeaten at Elland Road in all competitions, but the Tigers will be confident that they have what it takes to end that run.

All eyes will be on the crunch clash against the Saints on the final day of the season, however. That match could have huge implications for both sides, as well as Leicester and Ipswich.

Verdict

Despite sitting level on points with Ipswich, Leeds have won their last nine games in the league, which is approaching club-record numbers. They’re not just the in-form side in the Championship, but probably in the entire Football League. On paper, it’s only going to get easier.

Their upcoming opponents are all struggling at the bottom end of the table. They’ll be heavy favourites to see off the likes of Huddersfield, Stoke, Sheffield Wednesday and Millwall. Watford and Middlesbrough probably won’t have much to play for by the time they head to Elland Road, putting all the focus on the crunch clash against Southampton on the final day.

They’re listed as heavy favourites for automatic promotion and outsiders for the league title. If anyone is going to knock Leicester off their perch, you’d have to say it’ll be Leeds. If the likes of Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter and Wilfried Gnonto can continue their red-hot form, they’ll take some stopping.

Ipswich Town's February form has taken them back up to third place (Image: Ross Halls)

Ipswich Town

Record: W21 D9 L4 – 72 points

Run-in: Plymouth Argyle (A), Bristol City (H), Cardiff City (A), Sheffield Wednesday (H), Blackburn Rovers (A), Southampton (H), Norwich City (A), Watford (H), Middlesbrough (H), Coventry City (A), Hull City (A), Huddersfield Town (H)

Key fixtures

The Easter Monday clash between Ipswich and Southampton already feels pivotal. The teams are separated by five points at the moment, which means that the clash could play a defining role in the automatic promotion race. A defeat for either side could prove fatal.

The East Anglian derby against Norwich will be as big as ever. This will be Town’s first trip to Norfolk since February 2019. It’ll take place just a week after their clash against the Saints, and if they fail to secure a top-two finish, it could be a dress rehearsal for the play-offs.

A trip to Hull on the penultimate day of the season is also far from ideal, for all the reasons previously listed. The Tigers were comfortably beaten in the reverse fixture at Portman Road, but they’ve recruited incredibly well since then and look far, far stronger.

Verdict

The clear underdogs in this fight, but the team that simply won’t go away. Not only are Ipswich still in the automatic promotion battle, but there’s nothing to suggest that they can’t compete for the Championship title too.

Flying under the radar suits Town, who often aren’t mentioned in the same breath as their recently-relegated opponents despite sitting level on points with Leeds and five points clear of Southampton. Their impressive run of form has seen them become third favourites for promotion ahead of the Saints, but the external view is that they’re likely heading for the play-offs.

There’s enough to suggest that could be right. Facing Southampton on Easter Monday and Norwich the following Saturday will probably be the period that decides their fate. Losing any ground on the current top two will probably be enough to see them fall out of the race.

Their current run suggests that might not happen, however. If they’ve managed to match or better the likes of Leeds and Southampton, who’ve both had incredible runs of form, what’s to say they can’t do so until the end of the season? Even if the Blues do miss out, their favourable run-in would set them up nicely for the play-offs, but write them off at your peril.

Southampton have taken just three points from their last four games (Image: PA)

Southampton

Record: W20, D7, L7 – 67 points

Run-in: Birmingham City (A), Preston North End (H), Sunderland (H), Leicester City (A), Middlesbrough (H), Ipswich Town (A), Blackburn Rovers (A), Coventry City (H), Watford (H), Cardiff City (A), Stoke City (H), Leeds United (A)

Key fixtures

Southampton still have to play all three of their automatic promotion rivals away from home. Ouch.

They’ll head to Ipswich first, knowing that they could be cut adrift if they fail to take at least a point. The Saints were beaten in the reverse fixture at St Mary’s, but they started a lengthy unbeaten run just a few days after that match.

A trip to Leicester also feels daunting. The Foxes ran riot on the South Coast back in September, winning 4-1 in a game where they registered 4.14 expected goals [xG]. Southampton were fortunate that the scoreline wasn’t much worse.

Of course, the aforementioned final-day clash at Elland Road already feels like it could be the most important game of the season. Russell Martin’s side may be the only thing that stand between Leeds finishing the season with an unbeaten home record come.

Verdict

Now back in fourth, Southampton are at risk of fading away. They need to gain six points on the two teams above them with just 12 games remaining, which looks difficult on current form. When you look at the Saints’ fixture list, it only becomes harder.

Perhaps it plays into their hands. Sure, they have to play the top three teams, but winning those games is the best way of cutting the gap on them. Although it isn’t in their hands, they could ramp up the pressure by winning at Portman Road or Elland Road, as difficult as that seems right now.

That’s the big issue. Martin’s men have lost three of their last four games. Millwall, for example, hadn’t won a game since New Year’s Day, but rocked up at St Mary’s and secured all three points. Injuries have hit hard, despite a strong squad, and aside from facing the others automatic promotion contenders, they’ve still got to face play-off challengers like Preston, Sunderland and Coventry.

People have short memories in football, however. The team that went on a 25-match unbeaten run in the Championship haven’t just vanished. These are the same players playing under the same manager. If they put together a similar run between now and the end of the season, they’re not out of the picture.