How Leicester City, Leeds United, Ipswich and Southampton's fixture run-in compares | OneFootball

With March just days away, clubs in the Championship are now well aware of what their aims are for the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign.

As ever, this season has been filled with drama and tension, which is only set to rise with 12 games remaining in the regular season.

Leicester City, Leeds United, Ipswich Town and Southampton have been the quartet of pace-setters this time round, and with two season-defining months yet to go in the second tier, FLW compares the four sides' respective run-ins between now and May 4th.

Leicester City's 12 remaining matches

Enzo Maresca's side were favourites for the title before a ball was kicked, and have lived up to that billing for a large proportion of the season.

However, just like in November, the Italian's side have been rocked by back-to-back defeats at the hands of Middlesbrough and the aforementioned Leeds, who closed the gap at the top of the table to just six points with a 3-1 win against Leicester at Elland Road on Friday night.

Their first opportunity for redemption comes against QPR at the King Power Stadium on Saturday, before they face demanding away assignments at Sunderland and an in-form Hull City side, before a crucial encounter with Southampton. The meeting with the Saints has been scheduled for Friday, March 15th, but could be moved depending on results in the upcoming FA Cup 5th Round ties.

Over the easter period, Leicester face Bristol City at Ashton Gate before welcoming Norwich City to the East Midlands, ahead of five tricky encounters with Birmingham City, Millwall, Plymouth Argyle, West Brom and Preston North End, who could all still have plenty to play for in the final weeks of the season.

Maresca's men round off the season in front of their own supporters against Blackburn Rovers, but will be hoping promotion will be secured prior to matchday 46.

Leeds United's run-in

The Whites have been the team to beat in 2024, having won all nine of their league outings since New Year's Day with a goal difference of +17 during that timeframe.

Many will view their next four matches as a chance to continue their run of maximum points against sides between 19th and 23rd. However, three of those will be fiesty encounters against local rivals Huddersfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday, as well as welcoming Millwall to Elland Road on March 17th.

After taking on Watford on Good Friday, Farke's men welcome Hull to Elland Road before facing off against fellow play-off chasers Coventry City at the CBS Arena.

Successive home and then away fixtures follow against Sunderland, Blackburn, Middlesbrough and relegation-threatened QPR, before a potential mouthwatering 'winner takes all' clash with Southampton in LS11 on the final day.

Kieran McKenna's side have picked up momentum again after a tricky period between Christmas and early February, having accumulated 13 points from the last 15 available - including four successive victories.

Similarly to Leeds, the Tractor Boys will view their next five games as an ample opportunity to put the pressure on, as all but one are against sides in the bottom half of the table.

However, assignments between early April and the last game of the season is where it gets tough for Ipswich, as they host Southampton before traveling to Carrow Road on April 6th for the return East Anglian Derby, having seen their season hit a lull after the 2-2 draw at Portman Road on December 16th.

After taking on Watford and Middlesbrough, Town could also have a huge say in who makes the play-offs and who gets relegated, with their final away encounters against Coventry and Hull, before hosting Huddersfield on the final day.

After going 22 league games unbeaten, it has been a rough ride for Southampton of late - losing three of their last four. This has seen Russell Martin's outfit slip five points behind the automatic promotion places with just 12 games to go, and it gets no easier as they still have to face seven of the current top half, including away trips to the sides above them.

They'll return to league exploits on Saturday with an away trip to St Andrew's, before taking on a rejuvenated Preston side, who are firmly in the mix for a play-off spot.

Having lost 5-0 at the Stadium of Light in September, Saints will be looking to exact revenge before making the trip to the King Power Stadium which, as previously mentioned, could end up being re-arranged.

After hosting Middlesbrough, they then make the trip to Portman Road in what could be a season-defining game depending on prior results, before facing Blackburn, Coventry, Watford and Cardiff.

Southampton round off their home campaign against Stoke City, who are in the midst of a relegation scrap, before another potential key clash at Elland Road on May 4th. Even if Martin's side are out of the race by then, they could still have a huge say in who goes up to the Premier League.

Who has the most favourable run-in?

Based off the league positions of their remaining opponents, it's Ipswich who have the most favourable of run-ins, despite huge games against Norwich and Southampton thrown into the dozen between now and May, as they're up against six of the current bottom half.

They'll have to deal with the expectancy on their shoulders in such outings if they are to keep pace with a Leeds side who are an unstoppable force at present.

Despite them and Leicester being handed some tricky assignments, many would believe that the two squads have what it takes to see the job through and return to the top flight at the first time of asking.

And despite having more than enough quality, it feels like it's a huge ask for Southampton to make up lost ground in their remaining encounters, particularly if they don't accumulate a healthy points return against the top three.

Regardless, the Championship is one of the most unpredictable divisions in world football, so it's still very much all to play for.