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• Leicester City seal automatic Premier League return

  Leicester City are once more a Premier League team, having bounced straight back after relegation last season.

  The Foxes secured automatic promotion without kicking a ball, as title rivals Leeds United lost 4-0 away to Queens Park Rangers on Friday.

  Marti Cifuentes' Hoops side gave their fans a reason to cheer in their final home game of the season, and the emphatic win means they are now seven points clear of the relegation zone.

  The Hoops boss told BBC Sport: "I came here, perhaps I was crazy thinking we could manage the great escape.

  "The atmosphere has been unbelievable since I came here. Everybody thought tonight could be a special night to achieve our target.

  "Big players deliver big performances and our players all did that tonight."

  Defeat ensured only Ipswich Town can now finish above Leicester, meaning the Foxes will be back in the big time.

  Ipswich, who have three games left to play, face play-off hopefuls Hull City on Saturday.

  Speaking to BBC Sport, Leeds boss Daniel Farke said: "It's not in our hands any more [automatic promotion], we need to be honest.

  "The race is not over. If Ipswich win the next two games then I will say congratulations, but if they don’t win them then we will have a lot to play for.

  "As long as we have a chance, I’m far away from giving up."

  Leicester could be crowned champions if they beat Preston North End on Monday and if Hull beat Ipswich.

  The Foxes are looking to break the 100-point barrier, despite a wobble from Enzo Maresca's side in recent months.

  After they had been so far ahead and top for all but two of the 176 days between 23 September and 17 March, an untimely dip in form handed Leeds and Ipswich hope.

  However, while Leicester celebrate their promotion, they face the daunting prospect of starting next season with a points deduction, after they were charged by the Premier League with alleged breaches of the competition's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

• Chicago Fire v Atlanta United: ‘Think like champions’ urges Giakoumakis

  Atlanta United must “think like champions” if they are to correct their form, says striker Giorgos Giakoumakis.

  The Five Stripes face the Chicago Fire this weekend, as they look to return to winning ways after three games without a victory.

  Indeed, they lost to FC Cincinnati last time out, and Giakoumakis believes Atlanta must correct a mentality issue.

  “One simple thing I can tell you is that we have to stay concentrated,” said Giakoumakis.

  “Think like champions, because you cannot drop this amount of points when you are leading a game.”

  Atlanta are seventh in the Eastern Conference, six places and two points better off than the Fire, who have lost two of their last four games.

  “Number one, there are no easy matches in MLS,” said Atlanta coach Gonzalo Pineda. “It is always difficult to play in that stadium; sometimes it can be windy. They have very good players, and they have a very good coaching staff that prepares them to compete at the highest level.

  “The process we have, we expect it to translate to three points. At times, you have to create certain situations on the field to spark a reaction, and some toughness or some resilience.

  “That will bring more discussions and more accountability… as much as it hurt me and my coaching staff (losing five points), you can see it hurt them. They were not happy with that, and that is why I think they will have a good response against Chicago.”

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Chicago Fire – Brian Gutierrez

  Gutierrez is the Fire’s leading scorer this season, with three goals, which have come from five shots on target.

  Atlanta United – Giorgos Giakoumakis

  Giakoumakis has scored four goals in three career matches against Chicago, scoring at least once in each match. Four players have scored in their first four regular-season matches against the Fire, including just one, Cory Burke (five straight from 2018-21), since 2011.

  MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

  Atlanta have won only four of their last 39 away matches in all competitions (D14 L21) dating back to early April 2022. The Five Stripes are winless in their last nine away from home (D4 L5).

  Chicago’s 4-0 loss to Real Salt Lake last week equalled the largest margin of defeat in a home match in club history (4th time in all competitions). The Fire have lost six of their last 10 home matches in all competitions (W3 D1) after losing two of their previous 17 at home.

  The home side is unbeaten in the last 11 meetings between the Fire and Atlanta United (W9 D2). In fact, the only road win in the 14 regular-season meetings was a 2-1 victory for Atlanta in Chicago in 2018.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Chicago Fire – 37.9%

  Atlanta United – 33.3%

  Draw – 28.8%

• New York Red Bulls v Vancouver Whitecaps: Facing Eastern Conference teams ‘like going to the casino’

  Vanni Sartini is anticipating a tight encounter when his Vancouver Whitecaps team face the New York Red Bulls.

  Vancouver have enjoyed a fine start to the MLS season and sit second in the Western Conference.

  The Red Bulls, meanwhile, are in second place in the East.

  This game will be the first meeting of the teams since 2019, and Sartini joked that facing sides from a different Conference is akin to a trip to a casino.

  He said: “It’s going to be hard. It’s like going to the casino when you play the Eastern teams – you never know!

  “Maybe you’ll face the team in last, the team that’s in  first place. Unfortunately this season we’re going to play the Red Bulls, who are doing very well.”

  Explaining what he expects to see from the Red Bulls, Sartini added: “They’re a team with a very distinct and particular style of play, like we have, to be honest.

  “We need to be very intense, because that’s what they are, they are very intense in pressing, counter-pressing, counter-attacks and we need to be very well organised. It’s a game that will be decided in the second half, it’s going to be tight until the end – that’s what I feel.”

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  New York Red Bulls – Lewis Morgan

  Morgan is enjoying a fine campaign, and he leads the Red Bulls’ scoring efforts with six goals in MLS.

  Vancouver Whitecaps – Brian White

  White joined the ‘Caps from the Red Bulls in 2021. He has scored four goals in MLS this season, making him Vancouver’s leading scorer.

  MATCH PREDICTION: NEW YORK RED BULLS WIN

  Ryan Gauld and White have each contributed to at least one goal in their last five MLS appearances, equalling the longest streak in Whitecaps’ history. Prior to them, only three players in team history had recorded a goal contribution in five straight matches.

  With 16 points through eight matches, the Whitecaps are off to the joint-best eight-match start in club history (also 2015). Vancouver have never had more than 17 points (2012) after nine matches of a season before.

  The Red Bulls have lost only one of their first nine matches this season (W4 D4), the second time in club history they have had fewer than two losses at this stage of a season, along with their Supporters’ Shield winning 2015 campaign (also W4 D4 L1).

  Six of the 12 all-time meetings between the Red Bulls and Whitecaps have been drawn (Whitecaps W4, Red Bulls W2), but New York are anticipated to win this one.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  NYRB – 48.9%

  Vancouver Whitecaps – 23.3%

  Draw – 27.8%