Only two of the Championship’s top 4 played on Saturday – however it will still be a vital day in the race for automatic promotion to the Premier League.
A day that began with what looked like a 4-way battle for the top two spots ended with Leicester in pole position and Southampton on the outside.
Ipswich and Leeds didn’t kick the ball but the Foxes did Win over West Brom And deceased saints Defeated at Cardiff This implies that the scales have tipped towards them who are actually fighting for second place.
“An important win, especially at this stage of the season,” Leicester boss Enzo Maresca told BBC Radio Leicester.
“We’re close now – we still need to win some games and finish the season in the best possible way.”
Southampton boss Russell Martin said it was “unacceptable” to lose a game with the possibilities that they had in Cardiff.
“[Saturday] It has hurt us a lot in terms of chasing an automatic place, but we now have to react appropriately,” he told BBC Sport Wales.
“We have three games left. We can still get more than 90 points. I expect the biggest response.”
BBC Sport reviews the run-in and Opta predictions.
Current table
| The team | played | Points | G.D | GS | Form (Last 5 Games) |
| 1. Leicester | 43 | 91 | 42 | 81 | WWW |
| 2. Ipswich | 43 | 89 | 32 | 85 | WWLDD |
| 3. Leads | 43 | 87 | 42 | 76 | DWLDL |
| 4. Southampton | 43 | 84 | 29 | 85 | DWWL |
If the teams are tied after 46 games, the title will be selected goal difference and, if still tied, goals scored.
What are the remaining fixtures for every club?
Fixtures in daring indicate key games between the top 4 teams.
| April 22 | Middlesbrough (a) | |||
| April 23 | Southampton (H) | Leicester (a) | ||
| April 26 | QPR (a) | |||
| April 27 | Hull (A) | Stoke (h) | ||
| April 29 | Preston (a) | |||
| April 30 | Coventry (a) | |||
| May 4 | Huddersfield (H) | Blackburn (h) | Southampton (H) | Leeds (a) |
Who are the firm favourites?
Opta, with its 10,000 ‘supercomputer’ simulations, have Leicester as favourites, with their possibilities boosted by Saturday’s 2-1 win over West Brom.
They have a 77% likelihood of winning the title and a 94% likelihood of selling promotion. Ipswich have a 63% likelihood of securing back-to-back promotions, in accordance with Opta – up barely from 62% after Southampton’s defeat in Cardiff.
The loss in South Wales saw the Saints’ probabilities of a top two slip from 11% to only 2%.
| The team | % likelihood of winning the title | % of automatic promotion | Predicted final points. | Current position and points |
| 1. Leicester | 77 | 94 | 96 | 1st – 91 points |
| 2. Ipswich | 15 | 63 | 93 | Second – 89 points |
| 3. Leads | 8 | 40 | 92 | Third – 87 points |
| 4. Southampton | 0 | 2 | 88 | 4th – 84 points |
| Predicted points were rounded to the nearest point. |
Opta predicts the current top three will all pass the 90-point mark – none have reached that total and did not get promoted in the past 10 seasons.
Southampton are predicted to have 88 points after Saturday’s loss, with two of their last three games remaining at Leicester and Leeds.
Former Ipswich and Luton striker Sam Parkin said on BBC Radio 5 Live: “The league is fantastic and you’re a fool if you try and predict it because it’s got so many twists and turns.”
Former Hull, Derby and Bolton manager Phil Brown added: “It’s all about the bottle and the pressure. It’s about being able to handle it as a group and as a club.”
What if the teams finish level on points?
Should there be a tie, the league is determined on goal difference, then goals scored, then most points compared, then goal difference in head-to-head games, before goals are scored in those games.
If it’s all equal we’ll go to variety of wins, then goals scored in away games.
Whatever happens, there needs to be loads of twists and turns between now and the final day of the season on May 4.
Credit : www.bbc.co.uk
