Simon Jordan fires big warning to Leeds United and Leicester in Southampton prediction | OneFootball

Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan believes Southampton will secure automatic promotion to the Premier League this season.

Southampton emerged as serious promotion contenders after a remarkable 25-game unbeaten run between September and February, but a recent decline in form looked to have ended their top two hopes.

However, with Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Leeds United all faltering, the Saints are back in the race, and they secured their third consecutive victory with a 3-0 win over Preston North End on Tuesday night.

Southampton went ahead in the 19th minute when Che Adams slotted home from Adam Armstrong's cross, and the Scotland international netted his second ten minutes later after being set up by David Brooks to double his side's lead.

The Saints added a third in the 33rd minute through Stuart Armstrong's 20-yard strike, and while they continued to dominate, that proved to be the end of the scoring.

Russell Martin's men currently sit fourth in the table, four points behind second-placed Leicester and five points behind leaders Ipswich, but they do have a game in hand on some of the sides above them, and they face both Leicester and Leeds before the end of the season.

After the emphatic win over Preston, Martin admitted that his side had "changed the dynamic" in the automatic promotion race after previously being written off.

“I think it was a brilliant performance with some really beautiful stuff," Martin told the Daily Echo.

“It has been a big week for us. It has changed the dynamic. We were written off some time ago but the players have stuck at it and been resilient.

“We have the opportunity to take the points off teams around us but we have to take care of the next one against Cardiff and if we don’t then the others become a bit pointless."

Simon Jordan backs Southampton for automatic promotion

Jordan predicted that Southampton will achieve automatic promotion this season, and he believes the Saints' current momentum gives them a big advantage.

"If I'm either Leicester or Leeds at this moment in time, I'd be pretty anxious given the fact I've got to play Southampton," Jordan said on talkSPORT.

"If you look at the last five games these teams have played, Southampton have taken 10 points, Leeds have taken five, Leicester have taken six and Ipswich have taken eight, so they're the form side.

"I've got a sneaking suspicion that Southampton are going to edge in.

"They've got to play both Leicester and Leeds. "Ipswich have gone on a great run of form, yet they go and lose to Norwich in the big derby game, which makes no sense. "I just think Southampton have got the real momentum, they made light work of Preston last night, and Preston aren't mugs, they're a decent side who still potentially had an outside chance of getting near the play-offs and they smashed them 3-0.

"I just think Southampton are the ones to really watch now."

Ipswich, Leicester and Leeds should fear Southampton in the automatic promotion race

As Jordan says, Southampton are building significant momentum, and they have given themselves an excellent chance of securing automatic promotion.

The Saints' form is in contrast to Ipswich, Leicester and Leeds, who have all dropped points in recent weeks, and with games in hand on some of the teams above them, they are strong contenders for the top two.

However, while the fixtures against Leicester and Leeds represent a big opportunity for Southampton, they will be incredibly tough games, and they also have to ensure they do not slip up at home to Cardiff City and Stoke City.

The Saints are certainly capable of winning all four of their remaining games, but with the race becoming increasingly tight, it could come down to who is able to handle the pressure of the situation.