Leicester City’s hopes of an immediate return to the Premier League suffered a fresh setback on Friday with a 1-0 loss away to Bristol City in English football’s second-tier Championship.
City’s Anis Mehmeti scored the only goal of the game 17 minutes from time at Ashton Gate with a left-footed shot into the roof of the net.
Leicester have led the league for much of the season, but have now won just one of their last six Championship games to fall behind Leeds at the top of the table.
Jamie Vardy came closest to scoring for the Foxes but the former England striker, who was one of the stars of Leicester’s stunning Premier League win eight years ago, was twice denied by excellent saves from Max O’Leary.
Only the top two clubs at the end of the regular season are guaranteed promotion to the lucrative Premier League, with the other spot in the top division decided by a series of playoff games involving the teams finishing third to sixth.
Leicester are still second, level on points with leaders Leeds, but just a point ahead of Ipswich.
Leeds travel to Watford, while Ipswich visit Blackburn later on Friday (today).
Meanwhile, Leicester crashed to a third consecutive Championship defeat as they went down to struggling QPR, 2-1, while Ipswich boosted their promotion bid with a 2-0 win at Plymouth in early March.
Enzo Maresca’s league leaders lost to goals from Ilias Chair and Sinclair Armstrong – with his first touch after coming on – either side of half-time.