Rick Parry - the chairman of the EFL - has told MPs that he expects three clubs to be promoted from the Championship to the Premier League this season and three to be relegated from the top-flight, offering a boost to Leeds United's promotion ambitions.
The 2019/20 English football campaign is currently suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic, with it not yet known if the season will be concluded.
Since the campaign was halted in early March, a whole host of different ideas and plans have been discussed for how the season could be concluded, ranging from finishing the season in a normal fashion once it is safe to do so, to seeing the league table as it was at the halfway stage of the season to decide the campaign.
Now, though, according to Martyn Ziegler - a journalist for The Times - three clubs will be promoted to the Premier League whilst three sides will be relegated to the Championship, with Parry, who has reiterated the EFL's desire to conclude the season over the last few weeks, saying that a whole host of legal issues will be encountered if promotion and relegation is not sanctioned, insisting it will get "very messy."
For Leeds, of course, this whole situation could not have arrived at a worse time, with the club having just worked their way back up to the top of the Championship table after a run of five successive victories prior to the suspension of the campaign.
Last week, EFL chief Parry, in an open letter to EFL clubs, said: "Whilst there is still no further clarity on a return of EFL matches, the objective remains to play the remaining fixtures for the 2019-20 campaign at the current 71 EFL grounds. It is important that any clubs notify the EFL of any issues that may prevent this as soon as possible.
"Some progress has been made in respect of planning how matches may take place, with draft operational plans put before the board at this week's meeting and incorporating many areas such as: stadium preparation, medical provisions, staffing, media access and, of course, measures needed to ensure the safety of all participants including first-team players and staff, match officials, and everyone else associated with the matchday environment."
The government are set to issue an update on the next phase the country will move to in the fight against COVID-19 on Sunday, meaning the EFL and the Premier League may be able to thrash out more plans next week in an attempt to conclude the season.
