- Leicester City achieved promotion to the Premier League following Leeds United’s shocking 4-0 loss to Queens Park Rangers on Friday.
- The Foxes thrashed fellow promotion contenders Southampton 5-0 at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday night.
- The result gave the Whites a four-point lead over Leeds in second place and a five-point edge over Ipswich Town.
Leicester City achieved promotion to the Premier League following Leeds United’s shocking 4-0 loss to Queens Park Rangers on Friday.
The Foxes thrashed fellow promotion contenders Southampton 5-0 at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday night, establishing a significant lead in what has been an exciting race at the top of the Championship.
The result gave the Whites a four-point lead over Leeds in second place and a five-point edge over Ipswich Town. This meant that Leicester’s promotion would be confirmed before the Whites had played a single minute of the season.
Leicester City players celebrate after winning a game. Photo/Eurosport
Even though all three of the top-two contenders have struggled recently, Leeds was still seen as the favorite to defeat QPR, who are still uncertain about their Championship status going forward, before the game.
But in just eight minutes at Loftus Road, Marti Cifuentes’ team seized the lead and never looked back, thumping Leeds to ensure not just Leicester’s promotion but also a crushing blow to their visitors’ own promotion hopes and, in the process, their own survival.
The hosts took the lead early on with a goal from Ilias Chair, and midway through the first half, Lucas Andersen doubled QPR’s lead, leaving Leeds with an uphill task to tackle if they were to avoid dropping crucial points.
Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville had two of the visitors’ best opportunities to get back into the game, but they were unable to get past Asmir Begovic in the QPR goal.
After Lyndon Dykes scored his team’s third goal 17 minutes from time, Leeds’ situation worsened when Sam Field reached the top of the goal to score the team’s fourth goal in the 86th minute.
The outcome, which represents Leeds’ worst league loss of the year, is the most recent in a string of shocking developments during a wild final stretch that has seen Leicester, Leeds, and Ipswich all appear at various points as the front-runners for promotion.
Leeds is still in second place in the standings and hasn’t given up despite this heartbreaking outcome, but with Ipswich only one point behind and two games remaining, their future is now completely out of their control.
Leeds could be in the playoffs
Leicester City player and coach. Photo/ Yahoo Sports
Leicester would have been ecstatic after QPR’s victory, since they would undoubtedly finish in the top two as Leeds is no longer able to overtake them.
The championship is still up for grabs because third-placed Ipswich might finish above them in the table, but the Tractor Boys’ primary priority will be getting promoted.
They now have a chance to win it without needing any dramatic finishes, as wins over Hull City on Saturday and Coventry City on Tuesday will be sufficient to put them ahead of Leeds with a game remaining.
Things will come down to the last day if Ipswich loses any of those games, but Kieran McKenna’s team has to be considered the clear favorites to secure consecutive promotions and make their Premier League comeback after missing out on it in 2001–02.
Meanwhile, Leeds have to find a way to bounce back from their worst league loss of the year at such a pivotal point in the season, or else they will have to go elsewhere for favors if they want to miss the playoffs.
What next for the teams
Having finished third from the bottom in the Premier League the previous season, Enzo Maresca’s Foxes were promoted on their first attempt.
They play their last two games at home against Blackburn on May 4 to wrap out the season, starting with a trip to Preston on Monday.
If Ipswich defeats Hull on Saturday or Coventry wins their home game on Tuesday, Leeds will be outside the top two.
Leeds will have to make the playoffs if Ipswich wins both; they will be promoted.
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