Only 'phenomenal achievement' could beat Leeds United's Championship points tally

Ipswich Town captain Sam Morsy insists Leeds United pushed his side all the way in this season's thrilling Championship promotion race - and acknowledged that the Whites' final total of 90 points would 'normally' see them promoted.

While Kieran McKenna's side are already looking forward to next season in the Premier League, Daniel Farke and Co have the play-offs to negotiate if they are to join them in the top-flight. They will face Ipswich's East Anglian rivals Norwich City in a two-legged semi-final before playing the winners of the Southampton vs West Bromwich Albion tie.

While Leeds will be disappointed at how their season ended, collecting 90 points over the whole campaign is something that they normally would be celebrating. But such was the intense nature of this year's contest - Leiceser, Ipswich and Leeds all broke the 90-point mark - that it was not quite enough.

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That's a factor Morsy acknowledges, and makes their achievement all the more sweeter.

“It’s an incredible moment,” Morsy told the East Anglian Daily Times. “It’s not easy at all, we’ve competed with some fantastic teams all season – Leicester, Leeds, Southampton – great teams with great managers and experienced, top players.

“To come out second in that bunch and to get promoted is a phenomenal achievement and it makes it even more sweet, the fact those teams below us have been so good and pushed us all season.

“You look at Leeds – normally 90 points would do it, but not this season. We managed to get 96, which is a really good points tally and we did it.”

Leeds went into the final game of the season knowing they must beat Southampton and hope Ipswich lost to Huddersfield Town. As it was, Farke's men slipped to a 2-1 defeat, but Ipswich's 2-0 victory made that irrelevant.

"We knew a point would do it, but we wanted to approach the game and try to get a win," Morsy added. “It was about staying calm - we knew the adrenaline was going to be there - but we stuck to the plan and won 2-0, should have been more. We conceded very little too, so it’s a good day.”