Leeds United learn new key Championship date following latest rearranged fixture

Leicester City's pivotal Championship clash with Leeds United's promotion rivals Southampton has been given a new date. The fixture promises to have huge implications at the top of the table and with Leeds United well and truly in the mix for automatic promotion, they'll be watching closely.

The Saints, who saw Wednesday's home meeting with Preston North End called off due to a fire close to St Mary's Stadium, were due to travel to Leicester City next week, on Friday, March 15. However, with Leicester due to take on Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup over the same weekend, the match has had to be pushed back.

As such, Russell Martin will now take his side to the King Power Stadium on Tuesday, April 23, with the game due to kick off at 7.45pm. That date comes just a week and a half before the final day of the campaign when Leeds are due to welcome Southampton to Elland Road.

What will happen in the Championship between now and that rearranged date remains to be seen, of course, but the game could well prove to be make or break for one of the sides should they continue on their current promotion-chasing trajectories. Leicester remain on top of the Championship table at present, three points ahead of their closest rivals Ipswich Town, five ahead of Leeds and 11 in front of Southampton, who have the aforementioned game in hand to play, of course.

However, with Leeds taking on Sheffield Wednesday this evening, before the weekend's action, they have the opportunity to eat into that margin and turn up the pressure on their promotion rivals. Leicester travel to play-off hopefuls Hull City on Saturday afternoon having lost to the Tigers earlier in the campaign. Elsewhere, Southampton play host to Sunderland, while Ipswich Town travel to Cardiff City in the lunchtime kick-off.