Twist offers Leeds United chance to hit top-two and open up big gap with key rivals powerless

Daniel Farke’s Whites blew a huge chance to get back into the Championship’s top two on Saturday as a 1-0 defeat at home to Blackburn Rovers left Leeds third, one point behind second-placed Leicester City and two points behind new leaders Ipswich Town. Leicester also have four games left as opposed to just three for Leeds and Ipswich.

Leeds, though, now have it in their own hands both to return to the automatic spots above Ipswich and open up a four-point gap back to the Tractor Boys due to a twist in the upcoming fixture schedule. One of Ipswich’s three remaining games is away at FA Cup semi-finalists Coventry City whose involvement in the cup competition has led to the Championship fixture between the Sky Blues and Tractor Boys not taking place until Tuesday, April 30 having initially been set for next weekend.

It means Kieran McKenna’s side now have 13 days without a game, Ipswich not back in action until the evening of Saturday, April 27 with an 8pm kick-off at Hull City. By then, Leeds will have played twice, offering them the chance to take themselves up to 93 points and four points ahead of Ipswich who would have two games in hand.

The first of those two games in hand would be away at Hull, followed by the trip to Coventry three days later on the Tuesday night. But a failure to take six points from those two contests would technically speaking put United’s top two destiny back in their own hands if Farke’s Whites win their next two games.

The first of those will present itself away at Middlesbrough a week on Monday night where a win would definitely put Leeds back in the automatic promotion spots by virtue of Ipswich having the weekend off. Another victory at the following Friday night’s hosts Queens Park Rangers could then put Leeds four points clear in the autos, irrespective of how Leicester fare in their next game.

Enzo Maresca’s Foxes host West Brom next Saturday in a lunchtime kick-off before taking in their game in hand the following Tuesday night at home to Southampton. Leicester then play after both Leeds and Ipswich the following weekend with a Monday night clash at Preston North End, the night before Ipswich go to Coventry.