After a sensational campaign, the Sky Bet Championship season is nearing a climax, with both Leeds United and Ipswich Town set for a crunch weekend.
After Leicester City thrashed Southampton 5-0 on Tuesday evening, the Foxes – after a sizeable wobble – are now just one win away from a Premier League return.
Below them in second and third, the battle for the final automatic spot is reaching boiling point, with Leeds involved in another multi-goal thriller at Middlesbrough the evening before.
That result has left the Whites a point ahead of Ipswich having played a game more.
The Tractor Boys still hold destiny in their own hands, but the coming weekend looks set to be a pivotal one, with both rivals on the road.
Points on the board
As Leeds play before Ipswich on Friday night, Daniel Farke’s men have the chance to open up a four-point advantage.
Travelling to the capital to face a relegation-threatened QPR, come the final whistle at Loftus Road, the Whites will have just one more game to play to Ipswich’s three.
Psychology has been a huge narrative in the promotion race this term, and this weekend that pattern is ramped up.
Though Leeds have a difficult final outing against Southampton, the Saints’ defeat to Leicester has all but ended their top-two hopes.
Final day a week on Saturday could leave the door wide open for Leeds, if Russell Martin rests his squad for the play-offs.
For Ipswich, having come from the pits of despair in League One only last season to the verge of first top-flight return in 22 years, anxiety levels are peaking in Suffolk.
Dykes-Fabio double
Such a vintage season this has been in England’s second tier, it is as tight at the bottom as it is at the top.
Indeed, approaching this weekend, there is a genuine seven-way fight to avoid the drop and one of said teams is QPR.
With Rotherham long gone and Millwall and Watford looking to be safe on 53 points, the west Londoners sit on 50pts with Stoke, just three points off Sheffield Wednesday in 21st spot.
Still very much an unpredictable outfit, QPR are scrapping for at least a point here and will be dogged opposition, and we are backing them to find the net.
If a 10/11 Both Teams to Score lay is too short, perhaps Lyndon Dykes can be looked to by punters, having netted in his last two home games, with Leeds having shipped six in their last four.
For one really long punt, Leeds remain uncertain from set-pieces and QPR veteran centre-back Steve Cook has been on the scoresheet twice in the last six also.
Cook is a whacking 22/1 with Unibet to score.
Ipswich’s trip to the KC Stadium is no less a daunting one, with Hull still with hopes of snatching a play-off spot.
Fabio Carvalho was a transfer target for the Suffolk club in January, but having missed out, they face an in-form and firing forward.
The Portuguese netted at Elland Road earlier this month, and has five in his last six.
We are looking to combine both Dykes and Carvalho in a tasty-looking double, and both can be snapped up to score anytime at 17/1 with BetUK.
On penultimate weekend, it is sure to be another rollercoaster ride in the Champo.
