Promoted teams: Debates Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton

The Championship season has been one of the most exciting in recent memory, with the battle for a place at the top of the table fiercely contested right into the final weeks of the campaign.

In the end, Leicester went up as champions, with Ipswich finishing as runners-up. And after another tense play-off run, they were joined by Saints, who beat Leeds United 1-0 at Wembley on Sunday to clinch the third promotion spot.

Here, we take a closer look at the three new teams Liverpool will face in the next Championship…

Leicester City

Premier League pedigree

As one of seven clubs to win the Premier League title, the Foxes’ 2015-16 triumph will go down as one of the great underdog stories of modern sport.

Claudio Ranieri’s side were 5000-1 outsiders to lift the trophy that season, but powered by goals from Jamie Vardy, the brilliance of Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante, plus an indomitable team spirit, they produced a miracle that will not never be forgotten. .

Leicester were something of a yo-yo club at the start of the Premier League era, spending one season in the top flight in 1994-95, returning in the 1996-97 campaign, but then being relegated in 2001-02 and 2003-04. seasons.

However, after winning promotion in 2014, they went on to spend nine years in the First Division, finishing fifth in both 2019–20 and 2020–21 under former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers .

They were surprisingly relegated in 2022-23, however, with Rodgers replaced by Dean Smith in the closing weeks of the season before Enzo Maresca was appointed for Championship promotion.

The Italian delivered at the first attempt as Leicester confirmed their status as pre-season favourites, picking up 97 points to go up as champions, winning 31 of their 46 league games.

History v Liverpool

The Foxes have enjoyed moderate success against the Reds during their Premier League tenure, winning nine of 34 meetings, including three at Anfield – in 1997, 1999 and 2000.

Leicester were one of two sides to beat Liverpool in the Championship in the 2021-22 campaign, triumphing 1-0 at the King Power Stadium.

But the Reds have won each of their four meetings since then, including a 3-1 success in the third round of the Carabao Cup in 2023-24.

Key players

Despite being relegated in 2023, the Foxes have managed to retain plenty of their Premier League squad.

These include Vardy, who at 37 still managed 20 goals in all competitions last season, and the proven quality of full-back Ricardo Pereira, striker Kelechi Iheanacho and midfielders Wilfred Ndidi and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

Key arrivals last season included forward Stephy Mavididi, who scored 13 goals and provided six assists, and former Liverpool defender Conor Coady.

England international midfielder Harry Winks, signed from Tottenham Hotspur, also played a crucial role, as did Belgian centre-back Wout Faes.

City of Ipswich

Premier League pedigree

Ipswich’s rise under Kieran McKenna has been one of the stories of the past two seasons as the Tractor Boys followed up their promotion from League One in 2022-23 with another in 2023-24.

This will be their first season in the Premier League since relegation in 2001-02, with McKenna’s side winning widespread plaudits for their style of play, quality in possession and ability to score goals – 92 in 46 league games this season, after 101 in 46. League 1 games the year before.

Founder members of the Premier League in 1992, Ipswich spent three seasons in the top flight before being relegated in 1995.

They returned in the 2000–01 campaign and shocked everyone by finishing fifth, qualifying for the UEFA Cup in the process.

However, they were relegated the following season and dropped to the third tier in 2019, but following the appointment of former Manchester United manager McKenna in December 2021, they were able to rise rapidly.

History v Liverpool

Liverpool’s last visit to Portman Road was a successful one, a 6-0 win in February 2002 which featured a debut goal from Abel Xavier.

There was a 5-0 win for the Reds at Anfield later that season, a result that confirmed Ipswich’s relegation, and the teams have met just once since, with Liverpool overcoming a League Cup fourth-round tie on penalties at Anfield in December 2002.

However, the clubs have a rich history, regularly competing at the top of the old First Division in the 1970s and 80s.

A 5-2 win against Bobby Robson’s side at Anfield in February 1975 stands out, as does a 4-2 aggregate win in the League Cup semi-final in February 1982.

Key players

Ipswich’s success has been built on a squad made up largely of young, relatively unproven talent, as well as players who have spent most of their careers in the Football League.

Among them is attacking midfielder Conor Chaplin, whose 13 goals and eight assists in 2023-24 made him the club’s most decisive player.

Others to reach double figures were Nathan Broadhead, a Wales international signed from Everton, and Omari Hutchinson, who has since returned to parent club Chelsea.

Captain Sam Morsy, Mohamed Salah’s international team-mate with Egypt, is a key figure in the squad, as are left-back Leif Davis and goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky.

Southampton

Premier League pedigree

Another founding member of the Premier League in 1992, Saints spent 13 years in the top flight before being relegated at the end of the 2004–05 season.

After briefly relegating to the third tier, they returned under Nigel Adkins in time for the 2012–13 campaign and would impress under Adkins’ successor Mauricio Pochettino, finishing 14th in his first season and eight the following year.

Dutch legend Ronald Koeman replaced Pochettino in 2014 and in his first campaign oversaw a seventh-placed finish, qualifying Saints for Europe, before moving up to sixth the following term.

Southampton finished eighth under Claude Puel in 2016-17 but would drop into the bottom half in each of the next five seasons and were then relegated as the league’s bottom club in 2022-23.

However, they secured an immediate comeback, finishing fourth in the Championship before beating both West Bromwich Albion and Leeds in the play-offs.

History v Liverpool

The Saints have won 11 of the 48 Premier League meetings between the sides, including three of 24 at Anfield.

The most recent league clash, on the final day of the 2022-23 season, ended in an entertaining 4-4 ​​draw at St Mary’s, although the teams met in the fifth round of the Emirates FA Cup earlier this year, the Reds s – they imposed. 3-0 at home thanks to goals from teenagers Lewis Koumas and Jayden Danns (two).

Liverpool’s biggest Premier League win against Southampton came in a 7-1 triumph at Anfield in January 1999 – a game notable in that all of the Reds’ goals came courtesy of homegrown players Robbie Fowler, Dominic Matteo, Jamie Carragher, Michael Owen and David Thompson.

Key players

Saints’ promotion to the Premier League was secured at Wembley against Leeds by goalscorer Adam Armstrong, whose 24 goals in all competitions were key to their promotion.

Fellow striker Che Adams scored 18 times, while performances from homegrown midfielder Will Smallbone and Nigeria international Joe Aribo caught the eye.

In defence, England U21 international Taylor Harwood-Bellis was part of a side that won promotion for the second time in as many seasons after playing for Burnley in 2022-23, while the likes of Kyle Walker-Peters , Jack Stephens and Jan Bednarek , as well as goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, were retained from the relegated Premier League squad.