Ipswich Town have been fantastic, but daunting test lies ahead: View | OneFootball

Following their promotion from League One last season, Ipswich Town have been nothing short of phenomenal in the Championship this campaign.

Quick out of the blocks, and having maintained that start, currently, Kieran McKenna's side have lost just two out of their 19 league games so far, which is a brilliant run of form for any side, never mind one coming up from the third tier.

Despite that fine form, the Tractor Boys somehow find themselves pipped to the top spot in the division currently, with Leicester City just one point ahead of them in the division following their relegation from the Premier League last season.

They do, however, have a big gap over Leeds United in third.

Despite this excellent start, though, there is a stern challenge on the horizon and one that could really test the club's promotion credentials this season.

Ipswich Town's next five fixtures

Indeed, in the next few weeks, a quick glance at Ipswich Town's fixture list reveals a rather tricky, testing December for Kieran McKenna and his players.

Of course, ultimately, their season will not be defined by these matches, but how they do on this run could give us a big indication as to where they will end up this season.

It all starts with two testing away days this weekend and then on Tuesday, with Ipswich set to travel away to Middlesbrough on Saturday 9th December, and then away to Watford on Tuesday the 12th.

At the time of writing, these sides sit 12th and 10th respectively, but both are looking like play-off contenders, and both perform better at home than they do away, with Watford collecting 18 of their 27 points at Vicarage Road, and Boro collecting 16 of their 27 at the Riverside Stadium.

After those fixtures, Ipswich will be happy to return to Portman Road, but they host Norwich City in a derby match, meaning anything could happen.

Despite the fact Ipswich will fancy their chances, form often goes out of the window in these sorts of matches, and anything could happen.

It's another away day for Ipswich after that, with a trip to face current third-place side Leeds United at Elland Road.

Whilst that should be an excellent match of Championship football, it will be a tough tie for Ipswich, and, depending on how results go in the three fixtures prior, could end up being a clash between two sides close in the standings in terms of points.

A home match with table-topping Leicester City rounds up the gruelling five-match run, another stern test that Kieran McKenna's side

Ipswich Town's promotion credentials set to be put to the test

As you can see, it is a really tricky fixture run, and one that will really put Ipswich Town's automatic promotion credentials to the test.

Indeed, carry on their current form through those five fixtures, and remain well clear in second place, and it feels as though they will canter towards automatic promotion and a place in the Premier League.

Struggle, however, and their healthy gap over the likes of Leeds and Southampton could be eroded.

That would not mean their promotion hopes are over, however, it would mean they are then in a race once again, rather than being comfortable in the top two.