Leeds United: Pundit stunned by ‘unheard of’ situation with Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton
Leeds United will be promoted from an “unheard of” Championship season if they continue what they are already doing, says Paul Robinson.
The former England keeper already believes the second tier is “ridiculously difficult” to get out of at the best of times, but is stunned at how high the level has been pushed to in the current campaign with four clubs averaging over two points per game.
The Whites beat league-leaders Leicester City in a wild game at Elland Road (23 February) to narrow the gap between first and second to six points, but are still level on points with third-placed Ipswich Town, with Southampton five further back.
Robinson is convinced that the Whites have shown enough to deserve to make it back to the Premier League at the first attempt but says it is a tougher task than ever in a “phenomenal” campaign.
Speaking exclusively to MOT Leeds News the BBC Sport pundit said: “In the Championship this season it’s phenomenal. Look at the stats, there’s four teams that are averaging over two points a game. In the whole history, since the Championship was formed there’s only 18 teams that have ever averaged more than two points per game.
“Four of them are doing it this season, so it’s a hugely difficult task for anyone to get out of this league now.
“They’ve got one of, if not the strongest squads in the Championship, I’ve said it all season. They have got a fantastic opportunity to go up. And the way their looking at the moment if they keep doing what they’re doing then they will go up, and they deserve to.
“But the Championship is a ridiculously difficult league and this season it’s been proven even harder by these four teams on more than two points a game, which is almost unheard of.”
Leeds United backed for Premier League return in ‘phenomenal’ Championship race
If Farke does the job that he was brought in to do and gets the Whites back to the top flight straight away then he won’t have done so by default, with Sky Sports scheduling also complicating matters.
The advantage that the relegated sides have with the benefit of parachute payments has partly been illustrated to a large degree by all three being on such stunning pace.
Yet Ipswich, promoted from League One last summer, have also made a mockery of it to demonstrate just how unique this season has been.
For some time it looked like Kieran McKenna’s side might be untouchable, let alone the runaway Foxes, but Leeds United have already surpassed one, just, and have the other in their sights after doing the double over both, to leave the title, automatic promotion, or a deflating place in the play-offs all still on the table.
In other Leeds United news, an attacking star is “highly unlikely” to ever play for the Whites again.
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