Leeds United and Ipswich Town guarantee shared by Don Goodman after ‘enormous’ development
Don Goodman is adamant that Leeds United, Ipswich Town and Leicester City will each drop more points before the Championship season concludes.
Leeds took four points from a possible six over an eventful weekend of action last time out, following up a 2-2 draw at Watford with a 3-1 victory over Hull City at Elland Road.
Leicester lost to Bristol City before beating Norwich City, meanwhile, and Ipswich took maximum points from their games with Blackburn Rovers and Southampton, the latter of whom are surely now out of automatic promotion contention.
Asked if the top-two battle is now any clearer, Goodman told MOT Leeds News: “The Easter weekend is always just enormous when things are so tight at both ends of the division.
“While Leeds didn’t play anywhere near as well as they can against Hull, which was also the case against Watford, they mustered a result. At this stage of the season, that’s the most important thing.
“The irony for Southampton is that of the top four, they probably played the best of the teams at the top over the two Easter games, yet only came out of it with a point.
“In terms of predicting the top two, it’s impossible to answer. Opta have Leeds and Leicester still as favourites, but can you really rule Ipswich out given what they’ve done? Given they’re on 86 points already?
“Don’t forget Southampton play Leeds on the final day, and that Leicester have got to play Southampton as well. You can’t rule Ipswich out, but it’s hard to give a definitive answer.
“What these Easter fixtures did show us is the potential banana skin fixtures out there. Who would have thought that Bristol City would beat Leicester? That Leeds would struggle to beat Watford and then Hull.
“There will be more twists and turns, and all three of them at the top will drop points. But who comes out on top? I honestly couldn’t tell you.”
Ipswich Town and Leeds United occupy top two in Championship
A lot of the focus has been on Leicester City of late and what has been an almighty collapse considering just how clear they were at the summit at one point.
Ipswich deserve their dues, though, because they have somehow not only kept pace with last season’s relegated Premier League trio, but currently lead the way.
Leicester’s game in hand complicates matters slightly and means the table does not give a true reflection at this stage.
Should the Foxes win that game in hand, Leeds would drop down to third place. That means any sort of slip-up could prove fatal now as far as the club’s top-two hopes go.
That said, Ipswich and Leicester will also drop points across their remaining games. It should make for a thrilling battle, with the top two come 3pm on the final day ultimately deserving of their reward.
In other Leeds United news, Atletico Madrid are reportedly eyeing up a key member of Farke’s squad.
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