Leeds United are back in the Championship and a look at the fixture list is enough to get a flavour of how challenging and gruelling the division can be. The Whites begin the campaign with a home game against Cardiff City and they’ll be keen to get off the mark quickly by collecting three points.
Leeds know all about the threat the Bluebirds can pose after being held to a draw at the Cardiff City Stadium in the FA Cup earlier this year. It’s worth saying that all dates are subject to change due to TV selection, but here’s a look at a few of the key runs in the Whites’ Championship fixture list.
Welcome to the Championship
United’s start to life in the second tier was always going to be important and, in truth, it looks relatively kind. Cardiff finished one place above the relegation zone last time around and although they pushed Leeds close in the Cup last season, United ought to be heavy favourites for that one.
Read more: Leeds United Championship fixtures 2023-24: Whites start at home to Cardiff City
That is followed by a trip to Birmingham City on August 12, who struggled for much of last season, too. West Brom make the journey to West Yorkshire in the third weekend of the season and that looks to be Leeds’ toughest test on paper over the opening month.
However, the first five games are rounded off by clashes against newly promoted sides with a visit to Ipswich Town’s Portman Road (August 26), being followed by a home game against Sheffield Wednesday (September 2). It’s a chance to get points on the board early for Leeds and they will be desperate to begin a new era on the right foot.
December test
The festive period looks relatively kind to Leeds once more, with the Whites taking on three of the teams they face at the beginning of the campaign in Ipswich, West Brom and Birmingham, with a Boxing Day trip to Preston North End being squeezed in for good measure. The games before that Christmas run could provide an enormous test for the Whites, though, with Leeds playing four of last year’s top seven.
Leeds welcome Middlesbrough to Elland Road on December 2, which promises to be a stern test, before travelling to Blackburn Rovers on December 9 and Sunderland on December 12. That run is rounded off by a clash against beaten play-off finalists Coventry City on December 16.
It’s always hard to judge runs in the Championship given how unpredictable the competition is, but that one certainly looks set to test Leeds’ mettle.
Gruelling February
Leeds fans will be clocking up motorway miles for fun in the New Year and February, in particular, looks appears to be straight from hell. The Whites kick the month off with a clash against Bristol City at Ashton Gate, on February 3, but on February 13 they will travel to Swansea City for a midweek clash in South Wales.
Just four days later, they’ll be on the road again, this time traveling to Plymouth Argyle, the longest away trip of the season. Those winter night will feel pretty long with the amount of time the squad and supporters will spend travelling through February.
The run-in
As mentioned above, it’s hard to fully comprehend how difficult certain games will be right now, but Leeds know they face a punishing final month. The Whites have their eyes firmly set on promotion but even if they do manage to find themselves in that position come April, fans may find themselves braced for a few nervous moments.
Starting on April 6, which comes after Easter weekend, Leeds travel to Coventry, before hosting Sunderland on April 9, welcoming Blackburn on April 13 and making the trip north to Middlesbrough on April 20. That’s three teams who finished in the play-offs last season and Blackburn, who claimed seventh spot.
A clash against QPR on the penultimate day of the season looks tricky, but not as difficult as the last game of the season with fellow relegated outfit Southampton making the trip to Elland Road on May 4. If there’s something to play for at that point, that one could be enormous.
