This weekend, football fans across England look well set to breathe a welcome sigh of relief.

Over the course of the coming days, the November international break will come to an end, and the drama and excitement of club football will once again resume.

With no more breaks for the issue of national team football scheduled until March, this is the period of the season where things often really get going, something that football fans always relish.

However, issues such as TV scheduling mean that come this weekend, not every team will be getting their campaign underway at exactly the same time, and one side who are potentially at a disadvantage due to that, are Ipswich Town.

How could this weekend’s scheduling work against Ipswich?

Following their promotion from League One at the end of last season, the Tractor Boys have made an excellent start to life back in the Championship.

Kieran McKenna’s side currently sit second in the standings, level on points with league leaders Leicester City, and may therefore be dreaming of a return to the Premier League.

This weekend however, they will be made to wait to get back to action, as they travel to The Hawthorns to face West Brom in front of the Sky Sports cameras, in a game due to kick-off at 5:30pm on Saturday.

As a result, by the time they get underway, the pressure could be well on truly on Ipswich, from Leeds United.

The Whites themselves are currently third in the Championship table, eight points behind the Tractor Boys after 16 games of the campaign.

They too are due to feature on TV this weekend, with their trip to Rotherham United set to be broadcast from 8:00pm on Friday night.

As a result, the ball is very much in Leeds’ court going into this weekend, as they get the opportunity to close the gap on Ipswich to just five points, putting the pressure on the Tractor Boys ahead of their clash with the Baggies.

Indeed, most would argue that while Leeds may well be targeting all three points against a Rotherham side who are currently managerless and have won just twice in the league all season, Ipswich may see a trip to a West Brom side who have won three of their last four and are only outside the play-offs on goal difference, as a rather considerable challenge.

That task could then be added to for the Tractor Boys, by any further pressure that Leeds are able to apply on them with a potential positive result against the Millers on Saturday.

But from all that, there is a case to be made that there is still one positive that Ipswich can make for themselves, from the disadvantage of playing after Leeds this weekend, when they make their return to action after the break against the Baggies.

Ipswich can take motivation from Leeds’ result against Rotherham, whatever it is

While playing first may give Leeds the opportunity to put pressure on Ipswich with a win, and secure guaranteed points for themselves in the promotion battle, the Tractor Boys will still be able to take motivation from however that game plays out for Daniel Farke’s side.

If Leeds pick up victory against Rotherham on Friday, then Ipswich would of course, have the opportunity to restore their eight point advantage the following day in that meeting with West Brom.

Of course, that would put plenty of pressure on the Tractor Boys, given the importance of maintaining such an advantage, even at this stage of the season.

However, within that, there would be plenty of motivation to ensure they do pick up the win they need to retain that lead, in order to maintain that advantage, and secure as many points as possible early on, which could be so important when the trials of the campaign take their toll further down the line.

Weekly Wages: Ipswich Town’s Top-10 Highest Earners (Ranked)

It is also win that would send out yet another message to the division to show that even though they have only just returned to it, they are a force to be reckoned with regardless of circumstances.

By contrast, if Leeds were to drop points with either a draw or defeat against the Millers, that could give Ipswich a major lift, since it could give them the chance to further extend that lead they have over a clear promotion rival, even from a challenging position.