Leeds dropped out of the division’s second automatic promotion place on Friday as Southampton leapfrogged the Whites with a 2-0 win at West Brom but Daniel Farke’s side moved back into second with their own 2-0 triumph in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off at Plymouth Argyle.
The victory also put Leeds six points clear of fourth-placed Ipswich Town but having played two games more and Kieran McKenna’s Tractor Boys then closed back to within three points through a 2-1 success at Swansea City in a 3pm kick-off.
But Leeds instead received an unexpected boost at the very top of the division as Enzo Maresca’s league leaders Leicester City suffered a surprise 2-1 reverse at home to Middlesbrough which left the Foxes just nine points ahead of Farke’s side.
The Whites and Foxes will lock horns in a top-of-the-table clash at Elland Road next Friday night in which a Leeds win could close the gap down to six points with 12 games left. United are now two points ahead of third-placed Southampton and three ahead of fourth-placed Ipswich. Both teams have a game in hand which they will take in next midweek.
Both fixtures will present themselves on Tuesday evening with Southampton at home to play-offs chasing Hull City and Ipswich welcoming rock-bottom Rotherham United. Leeds could be left back in third place, level on points with Ipswich and one behind Southampton. But United have a much better goal difference and their automatic promotion destiny is in their own hands by virtue of facing the Saints on the final weekend of the season at Elland Road.
Following the weekend’s events, the bookmakers have cast a fresh verdict on how they think the final table will look and here is a full rundown in reverse order based on the very latest prices with relegation odds used to determine sides expected to end up in the bottom half.
4. 21st: Huddersfield Town
Relegation odds: 9-4 (but much shorter with some firms). Photo: Ian Hodgson
