Leicester City has secured promotion to the Premier League following a heavy defeat of Leeds United by Queens Park Rangers.
The 4-0 loss at Loftus Road leaves Daniel Farke’s team trailing the Championship leaders, Leicester, by four points with only one match remaining.
Following their relegation last season, Leicester is poised to reach 100 points as they make their return to the top flight.
Victory at Preston on Monday could see Leicester clinch the Championship title, especially if third-placed Ipswich does not win against Hull City on Saturday.
Ipswich has the opportunity to join Leicester in the Premier League next season if they manage to collect five points from their last three games.
The ‘Marescalator’ to promotion
Leicester City was soaring in their quest to return to the Premier League earlier this season, but despite a late-season dip in form, they have managed to clinch promotion.
Their 5-0 thrashing of Southampton on Tuesday marked consecutive victories for a team that seemed to be faltering on its path to automatic promotion.
By mid-February, Leicester appeared destined for promotion, holding a 12-point lead at the top and a 14-point advantage over the third position. The team, under Italian manager Enzo Maresca, was praised for its fluid, possession-oriented style, earning the nickname ‘Marescalator’ for their seemingly unstoppable ascent.
However, their momentum stalled dramatically. Leicester suffered four losses and managed only one win in six matches, including a critical defeat to Leeds—who were 17 points behind Leicester in January—turning the promotion race into a four-way contest among Leicester, Leeds, Ipswich, and Southampton.
Leicester had led the league for all but two of the 176 days between September 23 and March 17. They were overtaken first by Leeds and then by Ipswich, who pushed Leicester out of the automatic promotion spots by the end of March.
Just when Leicester seemed to stumble, their rivals also dropped vital points, allowing the Foxes to rally and secure their return to the Premier League.
However, their future in the Premier League is clouded with uncertainty. The club faces an independent commission hearing after being charged by the Premier League for alleged breaches of the profit and sustainability rules (PSR) during their last stint in the top flight.
While tonight they celebrate a triumphant return, a guilty verdict on financial irregularities could mean starting the next season with a points deduction.
A new era and same Vardy party
When Leicester City was relegated from the Premier League last season, it marked the end of a decade of remarkable success for the Foxes.
Just seven years prior, they had clinched an almost inconceivable Premier League title under Claudio Ranieri, and in 2021, they captured their first and only FA Cup.
Their rise began with a Championship title win in 2013-14, and now, a decade later, they have achieved another promotion.
Jamie Vardy, who was part of the team 10 years ago as a dynamic and talented striker, has now at 37, as a former England international, played a crucial role in propelling them back to the top division with 18 goals across all competitions.
Vardy, along with several members from last season’s relegated squad, has been instrumental. Nigeria’s midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall with his 14 assists and 12 goals, and defenders Jannik Vestergaard, Wout Faes, Ricardo Pereira, James Justin, and Hamza Choudhury have all made significant contributions.
However, a significant shift in football philosophy was necessary to transform Leicester from the struggling side of last year into the promotion-securing team of today.
Manager Maresca, who last season helped Manchester City win a treble as Pep Guardiola’s assistant, has committed to a style of play that emphasizes patient, deliberate, and possession-oriented football.
Key additions last summer, such as midfielder Harry Winks with his 10 England caps, former Arsenal and Juventus winger Stephy Mavididi, and Abdul Fatawu on loan from Sporting Lisbon, brought a new dynamism to the attack.
The reliable performances of Mads Hermansen, named as the goalkeeper in the Championship’s team of the season, have also been crucial to their success.