Leeds promotion rivals Leicester's nerves being felt as England legend laments league leaders 'sticky spell'

Gary Lineker is starting to sweat on Leicester City's title credentials as the Championship promotion battle heats up, it seems. This time last month, Leicester had a 12-point lead over the chasing pack in the second tier having progressed through the campaign at a remarkable pace.

However, after winning just one game in their last five, that lead has been cut to just three points, with Leeds United, Ipswich Town and Southampton now breathing down the Foxes' neck. Few could have seen such a turnaround coming but it seems like the pressure of the promotion race is getting the better of Leicester at present with nine games still to go.

Leicester could even surrender top spot to Leeds this weekend as Enzo Maresca's side take a week off from the Championship to take on Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter-finals while Leeds attempt to plough on against Millwall at Elland Road. There could still be plenty of twists and turns in the battle for promotion yet, but it's fair to say Lineker is sitting anything but comfortably as the nerves begin to kick in.

“Have you seen how horribly tight it’s getting at the top of the Championship as well?” Lineker said on his podcast, The Rest is Football. “I mean Leicester have obviously got that thing hanging over them as well for a points deduction, which if they do go up, they could get it right at the start of next season.

“But yeah, only won one out of the last five, squeaky, squeaky bum time. Why is it in football, nothing’s ever bloody easy, there you were cruising along 10, 11 points clear. I suppose every team’s going to have a sticky spell, as long as it doesn’t last any bloody longer.”

Leicester return to league action on Good Friday when they travel to face Bristol City at Ashton Gate before hosting play-off hopefuls Norwich City on April 1.