Leeds United will look to re-assert their Championship promotion credentials when they host Derby County on Saturday. Defeat at Blackburn Rovers saw Daniel Farke’s side fall into third but they could just as easily end this week in first, such is the competitiveness at the top.
Each week can almost guarantee a surprise result or two but with six fixtures to play between now and the New Year, promotion hopefuls will be looking at that block to see how many points they’d expect to take. And the good news for Leeds is that those above them have some tricky tests on the horizon - not least this weekend, with Burnley hosting Middlesbrough while Sheffield United go to West Brom.
With that in mind, the YEP has analysed the upcoming six-game block for all of the current top 10 to work out the average league position of each team’s opposition. Take a look below to see how difficult Leeds’ games are compared to those around them.
1. 10th: Millwall
Next 6: Coventry City (H), Sheffield United (H), Middlesbrough (A), Blackburn Rovers (H), Norwich City (A), Coventry City (A) | Average position of opposition: 9.1 | Getty Images
2. 9th: Norwich City
Next 6: QPR (A), Portsmouth (A), Burnley (H), Sunderland (A), Millwall (H), QPR (H) | Average position of opposition: 14.3 | Getty Images
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3. 8th: Blackburn Rovers
Next 6: Hull City (A), Sheffield Wednesday (A), Luton Town (H), Millwall (A), Sunderland (H), Hull City (H) | Average position of opposition: 14.8 | Getty Images
4. 7th: West Brom
Next 6: Sheffield United (H), Coventry City (H), Watford (A), Bristol City (H), Derby County (A), Sheffield United (A) | Average position of opposition: 8.3 | Getty Images
5. 6th: Watford
Next 6: Cardiff City (A), Hull City (A), West Brom (H), Burnley (A), Portsmouth (H), Cardiff City (H) | Average position of opposition: 15.8 | Getty Images
6. 5th: Middlesbrough
Next 6: Burnley (A), Leeds United (A), Millwall (H), Plymouth Argyle (A), Sheffield Wednesday (H), Burnley (H) | Average position of opposition: 8.3 Photo: Ian Hodgson