'Don't forget about Leeds' - Leicester City boss sends promotion warning as Leeds United gain ground

Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca insists the Championship promotion race will go to the wire after both Leeds United and Southampton gained ground on the top two over the weekend.

Southampton briefly broke into the automatic places after beating Swansea City on Saturday while Leeds also managed to close the gap with victory over Preston North End. Daniel Farke's side looked set for a frustrating point at Elland Road until Joel Piroe's added-time penalty made it 2-1 and three consecutive home wins.

Leicester and Ipswich Town ended the weekend's action with a tight 1-1 draw at the King Power Stadium on Monday and while the Foxes remain eight points clear of third, Maresca is under no illusions as to how much can change between now and May.

"For me, it will be a race until the end," he told BBC Sport after conceding a late equaliser on Monday night. "I've felt the breath [of Ipswich and Southampton], not just today, I've felt it since we started. I've felt Leeds' breath too, don't forget about Leeds. For sure, we are going in the right direction because of the performance, but there are still many games to go."

Leeds will have the chance to further close the gap when they host Norwich City in the Championship's only midweek fixture on Wednesday. The Whites can pull to within a point of Southampton and two of Ipswich, if Farke can record a second win against his former side.

They would still be nine short of top-spot but look set for a favourable second-half of the campaign, having already played the likes of Leicester, Southampton, West Brom and Sunderland away from home while beating Ipswich both home and away.

Leeds remain unbeaten all season at Elland Road and have picked up 31 points from a possible 33 since their first home victory - a 3-0 win against Watford on September 23. The Whites welcome Southampton to West Yorkshire on the final day of the season.