Southampton look as though they might be set to encounter another twist in the Championship promotion race.
The Saints have been in and out of form over the course of the campaign,. A club record 25-game unbeaten run has been sandwiched by two less successful periods.
As a result, Russell Martin‘s side currently sit 4th in the Championship table. They are five points adrift of the automatic promotion places.
There has however, been some controversy to emerge around one of Southampton’s promotion rivals this week.
That is something that those in charge at St Mary’s, are seemingly keeping a close eye on.
Leicester City finances in the spotlight
According to a report from TalkSport, Southampton are closely monitoring the situation at Leicester City.
The Foxes are apparently facing sanctions, for breaching Financial rules, with the amount of money they may have lost over the last three seasons.
Clubs across the top two divisions are said to believe that Leicester City have lost more than the permitted £105million in that time.
However, while they could face a points deduction for that, such a punishment may not come into force until next season, if they win promotion to the Premier League before a decision is made.
It is thought that Southampton are among several clubs currently in the Championship, who are considering taking legal action, if that proves to be the case.
They are said to want to see if Leicester City gain an unfair sporting advantage as a result of that spending.
As things stand, Southampton are 11 points behind Enzo Maresca’s side in the current standings.
Southampton cannot be distracted from the promotion race
While it make sense for the Saints to monitor what is going on here with Leicester City, they must also focus on their own results.
Southampton have found themselves staggering somewhat in recent weeks, raising questions about whether they can get over the line in the race for a return to the Premier League.
They must make sure they answer those questions with the results they pick up between now and the end of the campaign, regardless of what happens with the Foxes.
Even if Leicester City do get points deducted, there will still only be two clubs winning automatic promotion this season.
Right now, there are two clubs other than the Foxes above Southampton in the Championship table – Ipswich Town and Leeds United.
Martin’s side must therefore do what they can to get above those two teams, to ensure they can take full advantage of any punishment Leicester City may receive here.