Unexpected fresh Leeds United boost after Plymouth win with blow for rivals and table twist

Leeds United have received an unexpected fresh boost following Saturday's victory at Plymouth Argyle with a blow for a key rival leading to an automatics picture change.

Daniel Farke's Whites moved back into the division's second automatic promotion place with a 2-0 win in Saturday's lunchtime kick-off at Plymouth ahead of the day's 3pm kick-offs.

Key promotion rivals Ipswich Town and Leicester City were both in action and league leaders Leicester were strong odds-on favourites to bag another victory from their home clash against Middlesbrough.

But Michael Carrick's side pulled off something of a shock in leaving the King Power with a 2-1 success which has led to Leeds cutting the gap to Leicester from 12 points down to nine, and with the Foxes still to play.

Leeds and Leicester will lock horns next Friday night at Elland Road and a Whites win could cut the gap down to six points with still 12 games left to play.

Ipswich, meanwhile, followed up Wednesday night's easy win at Millwall with a 2-1 victory at Swansea City which kept the Tractor Boys hot on the heels of both second-placed Leeds and third-placed Southampton.

Ipswich are now just three points behind the Whites and with a game in hand but Kieran McKenna's side have a much worse goal difference. Leeds are two points ahead of third-placed Southampton who have also played a game less but United's automatic promotion destiny is in their own hands by virtue of facing the Saints at Elland Road over the final weekend of the season.

Southampton and Ipswich will both take in their games in hand next week on Tuesday night. Both teams are at home, Southampton facing play-offs chasing Hull City and Ipswich tackling rock-bottom Rotherham United.