First division: Leicester in line for slippery run-in

Joe Royle's observation that there is still effectively a quarter of the season to go probably carries an element of wishful thinking. The Ipswich manager is unwilling to concede just yet that his side's First Division play-off chance has gone and with 30 points still to play for – more in the cases of Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest – it would be unwise to suggest nothing can change.

But all realistic assessments of the remaining fixtures point towards the top six staying as they are. Unless Ipswich's form improves significantly, they will find the eight-point gap between themselves and the play-off zone too wide to close.

But within the top half-dozen there is still scope for important changes in the pecking order. The leaders, Portsmouth, who need four more wins to seal their ascent to the Premiership, according to manager Harry Redknapp, are probably home and dry. Second-placed Leicester, by contrast, are starting to wear a hint of vulnerability.

Leicester's run-in does not look especially testing, with only three of their 10 games against fellow contenders. But after their failure to beat Derby, Bradford and Sheffield Wednesday, other games suddenly look like potential banana skins, not least today's tea-time meeting with Preston, who are the division's in-form side with five wins in their last six outings and who boast a win over Leicester at Deepdale in November.

Sheffield United, in third place, are 10 points adrift of second, but have two games in hand and will face Leicester at Bramall Lane on Easter Monday. They have prospects of winning at least half their last 12 games on recent form, and were they to average a point per game from the other six, their final tally might be uncomfortably close to Leicester's.

Even taking into account the survival bid that will drive their opponents today, Neil Warnock's side should win at Stoke, and with home games against Brighton, Derby and Gillingham coming up they have scope to test Leicester's nerve with a string of wins.

Reading, at home to Crystal Palace today, are also still in the hunt for automatic promotion starting from the same 61-point tally as the Blades, although their run-in looks tougher.

Nottingham Forest, at Brighton today, and Wolves, away to Portsmouth in the day's most attractive contest, may have to settle for play-off places, but each may need to win no more than four of their remaining fixtures.