Leeds United are currently in the midst of a tight promotion race, with just four points separating the top three teams in the Championship and only nine games remaining.
The Whites hold a two-point lead over second-placed Sheffield United and are four points ahead of third-placed Burnley.
While it’s expected to be a tense finish, Leeds remain the favourites to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League.
Just a few weeks ago, Leeds were being touted as the team to win the Championship by a comfortable margin, with many predicting they’d secure automatic promotion by a significant distance due to their outstanding form.
However, recent results— a 1-1 draw at home to West Brom and a loss to Portsmouth last weekend— put a damper on those optimistic projections.
Leeds did, however, bounce back with a solid 2-0 win over Millwall on Wednesday night, restoring confidence that automatic promotion remains within their grasp.
A tricky trip to Queens Park Rangers awaits them on Saturday, where Leeds have struggled historically, having lost on their last four visits to Loftus Road.
Despite the challenge ahead, BBC journalist Adam Pope remains confident that Leeds can still win the Championship and seal promotion with a few points to spare. He draws on recent history to back his belief.
Pope: Leeds Would Need a Disaster to Match Recent Championship Winners’ Record
Pope points to the consistency Leeds have shown throughout the season as a strong indicator that they could stretch their lead and clinch the title in a dominant fashion.
He referenced Newcastle United’s 2016/17 promotion-winning team and the 2017/18 Wolves side as examples of teams that faced more challenges on their way up.
Newcastle, under Rafael Benítez, lost 10 games that season, while a Wolves team packed with Champions League-level players suffered seven defeats on their way to promotion.
In contrast, Leeds have only lost four games this season and have bounced back from each defeat with a victory in the following match.
Pope argued that Leeds would need to experience a significant collapse over the final nine games to fall short of the level of consistency shown by Newcastle or Wolves.
“I still think they can win promotion with a healthy points margin,” Pope said on the Square Ball podcast.
“Newcastle, one of the great Championship sides, and Wolves, with their Champions League-caliber players, lost a lot of games. Leeds would have to have a disaster to get anywhere near that.”
Farke Stays Focused on One Game at a Time
Leeds United are in a strong position to surpass last season’s total of 90 points, which should be enough to secure promotion to the Premier League.
Sheffield United and Burnley have shown this week that they lack the consistency to take advantage when Leeds slip up.
Nevertheless, manager Daniel Farke will continue to take it one game at a time and focus on adding points in the final stretch of the season.
Both Leeds fans and supporters are eager to avoid the playoffs, with last season’s painful final defeat still fresh in their minds.
Pope’s assessment that Leeds would need a major disaster to lose as many games as previous Championship winners is accurate, but the players will be careful not to tempt fate.
The primary focus will be on securing a crucial win at QPR on Saturday, ensuring that Leeds remain at the top of the Championship as they head into the international break.
