The cream always rises to the top at the end of the Championship race. Despite potentially averaging more than two points per game, Leeds United appear to be out of the top two after a difficult season.
Many predicted that the Whites’ upcoming home game against Southampton on Saturday would be a final-day automatic promotion decider. Both teams have gone on long unbeaten streaks this year.
However, it now appears that it will be a dead rubber, with Ipswich Town comfortably in control of automatic promotion after defeating Coventry City in midweek. A point against League One’s Huddersfield Town would secure the runners-up berth. Their growth has been nothing short of astounding. Only three teams (Watford, Southampton, and Norwich) have won back-to-back promotions since 1992.
United face the danger of the play-off lottery unless they pull off a miracle on the final day. What is their record in the season-ending extravaganza? Let’s not go there.
It’s been an exciting, heated promotion struggle. It appears that Gabriel Agbonlahor will get his wish for who will join Leicester City in the Premier League next season.
“As a neutral, I would rather Ipswich come up,” ex-Aston Villa striker Agbonlahor told talkSPORT in mid-February. “You don’t want the three demoted teams to be promoted. Leicestershire, Leeds, and Southampton. Last season, both Leeds and Southampton performed poorly in the Premier League.”
He then said, “Everyone I meet with is like, ‘yes, I want Ipswich to come up’. They’re people’s second team, and picture being promoted two years in a row. I just believe it will be very disappointing for Leeds, Southampton, and Ipswich for whoever misses out.”
Is Ipswich everyone’s ‘second team?’ Absolutely not.
Agbonlahor does, however, make an important point regarding the difficult task that Leeds and Southampton confront in preparing for a final push. It will be far from simple.
Despite a tumultuous season, United may still have a joyful ending. There is a slim probability they will finish second. Nerves could play a factor for Ipswich this weekend as they try to return to the top flight after a 22-year hiatus. If Ipswich makes a mistake, the Whites must be ready to score.
What if none of that works? The dreaded play-offs offer United a possible path to Wembley and promotion glory.
