The memories of losing the playoff final last season are still fresh in the memories of Leeds United supporters who do not want that stress this year. The Whites sit at the summit of the Championship but a run of two wins in their last five has made the automatic promotion race tighter. Sheffield United are level on points with Leeds and Burnley are third, just two points behind them. The Yorkshire giants are desperate to avoid dropping into the playoffs going into the final eight games of the season but a glance at the fixtures shows, the Whites should not be dropping the ball this time around. In fact, if results go according to plan, Leeds are certain to get promoted to the Premier League.
The pressure is on Daniel Farke and the Leeds United players to secure promotion this season after last year ended in a heartbreaking defeat to Southampton in the playoff final at Wembley.
Leeds are determined to ensure that they do not get into the playoff tussle again, where their record has been awful for years, and get promotion wrapped up in the 46-game season.
However, the pressure has piled on Leeds in the last few weeks where they have come up short in a few games and they are now under some stress with Sheffield United and Burnley snapping at their heels.
Leeds need to come out of the international break flying and produce a performance that shuts up their critics but it is important to note, that they remain the favourites to get promoted.
Six of Leeds’ next eight opponents are in the bottom ten and the Whites have lost just one game against a team in the bottom half of the table this season.
What happens if Leeds United just match the results from the reverse fixtures?
Leeds have been the most entertaining team to watch this season and are by far the highest goalscorers of the Championship in the ongoing campaign.
Their goal difference alone is worth a point in the promotion race but it is important to note Leeds didn’t lose any of the games against their next eight opponents earlier in the season.
If Leeds just match the results they achieved against them in the next few weeks, they will certainly be in the Premier League at the start of next season.
They will host Swansea at Elland Road immediately after the break and the two sides played out a seven-goal thriller at the Liberty Stadium in November.
Leeds needed a 91st-minute winner from Wilfried Gnonto to gain all three points but at home, they should be beating the 16th-placed side more comfortably.
The Whites hammered their next opponent Luton 3-0 at home in November and while away from home, it should be trickier, the Whites should do a double against the bottom-placed team in the league.
Leeds beat Middlesbrough 3-1 at home but a trip to the Riverside Stadium is never easy and Boro are still involved in the race to finish in the playoff spots.
However, a win at Boro would be huge and could crush the morale of the chasing pack.
Leeds only managed a 1-1 draw at Preston but it is more than expected from them to beat their opponents at home when they visit Elland Road next month. However, for the sake of debate let’s assume they drop points in this one.
The Whites hammered Oxford United at home earlier in the season and they are a smart bet to do the double away from home as well.
Farke’s men scored a comfortable 2-0 win at the bet365 Stadium and are expected to win three more points when Stoke visit Elland Road next month.
Bristol City held Leeds to a 0-0 draw on their home ground and while Leeds are expected to beat them at Elland Road, for the sake of consistency let’s assume the Whites are again held to a point at Elland Road.
On the last day of the season, Leeds have a trip to Plymouth and they are more than expected to win as they did when they hammered them 3-0 at Elland Road.
How much do Leeds end up with? More than enough to get promoted
If Leeds end up just matching their results from the reserve fixtures, which would include dropping points at home against Preston and Bristol City, it would mean 20 more points from six wins and two draws.
At this point, if Leeds just play to form they are on course to breach the 100-point barrier, which is a gold standard for the best Championship teams over the years.
They won’t quite touch Reading’s 106-point season around two decades back, but Leeds are on course to beating Leicester City’s 97-point tally from last season and the Foxes were termed a dominant Championship side.
It is easy to forget how good Leeds have been this season due to their recent results and the collective trauma from last season’s playoff final heartbreak.
However, if Farke’s side end up with 100 points, they would go down as one of the great Championship sides of any era and numbers are hard to argue against.
