Leeds United, Ipswich Town and Leicester City are all fighting to finish in the Championship’s top two.
For a neutral, it looks as though it could be the most exciting promotion run-in of all time, with Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna claiming it is the highest standard that has ever been seen at the top.
At the beginning of the New Year, Leicester had actually been 17 points clear of Leeds and looked well on course to coast to the title, with the prospect of even breaking Reading’s record points tally.
However, their blip in form has coincided with Leeds picking up 41 points from a possible 45 available in 2024, which has thrust them right into the mix for the final month of the campaign.
With Ipswich also in an incredible run of form, Leicester have clearly been feeling the pressure from those around them, though Conor Coady was quick to acknowledge in an interview last month the Foxes were not focusing on the teams around them.
Jobi McAnuff shares the big difference he’s noticed between Leeds and Leicester recently
Former Reading winger Jobi McAnuff was speaking on the latest episode of the BBC’s Football Daily Podcast earlier today, in which he was analysing the fine margins that could decide the race.
McAnuff was keen to point out the murmurings of discontent from Leicester supporters around manager Enzo Maresca’s style of play, even when they were picking up win after win.
That has only heightened amid their recent run of results, and has certainly caused him to bite back at times.
McAnuff believes while Maresca is right to feel disgruntled at Leicester fans’ discontent, it could be something that proves costly at the end of the season due to the ‘incredible’ environment and atmosphere created at both Leeds and Ipswich recently.
He said: “For me I have been at Elland Road recently and the environment there and at Ipswich, is just incredible. That’s reason I spoke to Mads [Hermansen] and asked him that question, because I don’t feel that same connection at Leicester City at the moment between the squad of players and fans.
“The manager is getting a little bit twitchy at times in interviews which I would with the results he’s got this season. I just don’t feel that same synergy and energy at the moment and when you are talking about the finest of margins, it can come down to that.”
Leeds set for another pivotal promotion race weekend
This looks set to be another crucial weekend in the promotion race with all three sides facing potential banana skin matches.
Ipswich make the trip to bitter rivals Norwich City in the early kick-off looking to end their 15-year wait for a win against the Canaries, who themselves have promotion aspirations.
Leeds, meanwhile, make the trip to top six chasing Coventry City who have proven tough to beat all season, particularly on home soil.
On paper, Leicester face the easiest fixture of the three teams at home to Birmingham City. However, they are scrapping for their lives at the bottom under interim boss Gary Rowett.