'Definitely' - Ipswich Town man makes confident automatic promotion claim amid Leeds United battle

Ipswich Town midfielder Jack Taylor insists his side can ‘definitely’ claim the second automatic promotion place ahead of Leeds United - but the Tractor Boys are not getting too carried away with two more games to play.

Kieran McKenna’s side can climb back into second if they take anything from Coventry City this evening, with Saturday’s dramatic 3-3 draw at Hull City pulling them level on points with Leeds, having played a game less. Coventry cannot make a late push for play-offs and so have little to play for, although that lack of pressure could help, rather than hinder.

Regardless of the result at the CBS Arena, the race to join Leicester City in the automatic places will go to the final day and this evening’s game will only decide who has fate in their own hands come Saturday. Ipswich host relegation strugglers Huddersfield Town on the final day and Taylor insists his side are well placed to break Leeds hearts.

"You can’t get carried away because you’ve seen in the past that it can affect teams mentally," Taylor told the East Anglian Daily Times. “We’re bang on it, we’re back in training today and we’ll be ready for tomorrow night. We know what’s on the line and we’re going to go for the win like we’ve done all season - whether it’s away at Elland Road, which didn’t work out like we wanted it to, but we’ve gone into every game wanting to win, not trying to get points or whatever.

“As long as we stick to our system and our principles, I think we’ll definitely get the job done. It’s that stage of the season now where it’s so in our hands. It’s not like we’ve got five games to go and need a certain amount of wins, we’re down to two and we can’t really afford to lose.

Keep up-to date with all the latest Leeds United headlines, with the free Yorkshire Evening News - Leeds United newsletter.

“But we’re going to go into both games wanting to win both and end on how many points that leaves us on. [Promotion] will obviously be special and to be honest it’s probably worked out better – rather than sealing the deal away at Coventry, we can do it at home in front of our supporters, who have been with us all season. Yeah, it will be special – but we’ve got to stay level-headed and know that we’ve got a very important game tomorrow night.”

Friday’s humbling 4-0 defeat at Queens Park Rangers saw Leeds once again blow a chance to heap the pressure on Ipswich, who would have been three points behind had Daniel Farke’s men won at Loftus Road. That would have guaranteed promotion to be in United’s hands due to the superior goal difference.

The Whites now need Ipswich to gain no more than three points from their final two games, while ensuring they return to winning ways at home to Southampton on the final day. Following Friday’s loss, manager Daniel Farke refused to be drawn into talk of the play-offs but Leeds are relying on others to do them a favour.

Leeds will take some comfort in knowing how good Coventry can be at home, having been well beaten by Mark Robins’ men at the CBS Arena just last month.