LEICESTER PROMOTED TO PREMIER LEAGUE AT FIRST TIME OF ASKING AFTER LEEDS BATTERED BY QPR

Leicester have been promoted back to the Premier League at the first time of asking after Leeds lost 4-0 against QPR on Friday.

The Foxes, who thrashed Southampton 5-0 on Tuesday, needed Daniel Farke's side to lose at Loftus Road to seal automatic promotion from the Championship. And as Leeds were beaten, Leicester have secured an instant return back to the top-flight - almost a year since their shock relegation.

They have now earned promotion to the Premier League on five separate occasions, a joint-record along with Norwich and West Brom. Their highest top-flight finish came in 2015/16, when they won the title, stunning the footballing world by finishing 10 points clear of second-place Arsenal.

Having finished 18th last season and suffered a surprise drop down to the second tier, the Foxes sold the likes of James Maddison and Harvey Barnes last summer and were forced to rebuild under new manager Enzo Maresca. Despite a slow start to pre-season, several new players were signed and fortunes started to look brighter.

A comeback 2-1 win over rivals Coventry on the opening weekend got the ball rolling for the Foxes, and they went on to win their opening four matches of the campaign. They suffered their first defeat at home by Hull but responded to win their next NINE to put them in a commanding position.

Leicester suffered a mini-blip to lose against Leeds and Middlesbrough, before returning to form with eight victories in their next 10 to move 17 points clear of third-place Leeds. That run included impressive away victories over West Brom and Cardiff, and the Foxes looked almost set to bounce straight back.

However, the Foxes then sustained a drastic dip, winning just five in 12 matches. Usually that run would not have put them in any sort of danger of blowing their big lead at the top, but the incredible form of Leeds, Ipswich and Southampton had seen a four-team title race open up after the March international break.

It seemed like Leicester had got back on track after beating Norwich and Birmingham at the start of April, but then successive away defeats against Millwall and Plymouth put them on the brink of dropping out of the top two. But none of their promotion rivals could pounce and Leicester bounced back.

They earned a crucial 2-1 victory over West Brom last weekend before thrashing Southampton to move them just one win or a Leeds defeat at QPR away from securing their place back in the Premier League. With Leeds losing 4-0 in west London, it's now guaranteed that the Foxes will play in the top-flight next season.

Leicester have picked up 94 points from their 44 matches and could win the title with a win at Preston on Monday if Ipswich fail to beat Hull on Saturday night. After their trip to Deepdale, the Foxes then host Blackburn in their final game of the campaign next weekend.

Gary Lineker congratulated his former club on promotion: "Back in the big time. Come on you Foxes, @LCFC." Meanwhile, several current Leicester players took to social media. Wilfred Ndidi said: "Congratulations to me, the boys, the staff the club and the amazing fans.. 2 more to go!!! We back!!"

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2024-04-26T20:59:01Z dg43tfdfdgfd