Fresh Leeds United boost expected and major step forward in automatic promotion hunt

Third-placed Leeds bagged their fifth victory from their last six games by recording a 3-2 win against Saturday's visitors Middlesbrough on a day when the division's entire top four all picked up three points. Daniel Farke's side consequently remain eight points behind Championship leaders Leicester City and seven adrift of the division's second automatic promotion place occupied by Ipswich Town.

Leeds will now take in back-to-back away games, starting with a Saturday lunchtime trip to a Blackburn Rovers side who are just two points adrift of the play-offs in seventh place. Leeds, though, are expected to pick up another victory by the bookmakers who have Farke's side odds-on to win at Ewood Park in being as short as 8-11 but no bigger than 5-6.

Victory would slash the gap to Ipswich down to four points ahead of a very tough fixture for the Tractor Boys this weekend at Middlesbrough. Boro and Ipswich will lock horns in a Saturday afternoon 3pm kick-off at the Riversiders and the bookies expect Michael Carrick's hosts to beat Ipswich in what would be a major step forward for Leeds if they also win at Blackburn.

Ipswich are 18 points and ten places higher up the table than 12th-placed Boro yet the Riversiders are favourites with every firm and no bigger than 13-10. Ipswich can be backed at 21-10 whilst the draw is on offer at 19-7.At Ewood Park, Blackburn are as big as 10-3 to beat Leeds with 16-5 available about the draw.

Rovers have the division's top goalscorer Sammie Szmodics in their ranks but he is only joint sixth favourite to score first at 15-2 and the same price as teammate Niall Ennis. Whites pair Joel Piroe and Patrick Bamford are 9-2 joint-favourites, ahead of Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter who are both 6s, just ahead of Willy Gnonto at 13-2.

The bookies also think there's a reasonable chance of fourth-placed Southampton dropping points this weekend too. The Saints visit 10th-placed Watford in a Saturday afternoon 3pm kick-off and Southampton are favourites but not by a huge amount at 11-8. Watford can be backed at 21-10 whilst the draw is 12-5.

But leaders Leicester are confidently expected to win again when they host 16th-placed Plymouth Argyle in another Saturday 3pm kick-off. The Foxes are long odds on at 2-7 to beat Plymouth who are 10-1 shots with 5-1 on offer about a draw.