Daniel Farke admitted Leeds only had themselves to blame after their automatic promotion hopes were left hanging by a thread following a thumping 4-0 defeat at QPR.
Goals from Ilias Chair, Lucas Andersen, Lyndon Dykes and Sam Field sparked a survival celebration in west London, as well as a promotion party in Leicester with the Foxes now guaranteed an immediate return to the Premier League.
But Leeds will find themselves outside the top two if third-placed Ipswich beat Hull on Saturday night, or Coventry in their game in hand on Tuesday.
Should the Tractor Boys win both, they will be promoted with Leeds consigned to the play-offs before the final round of fixtures next weekend.
Farke said: “First of all congratulations to QPR for a deserved win, and to Leicester for promotion.
“In this game the first 20 minutes was decisive, We didn’t do the basics. QPR used it in an effective way to be 2-0 up.
“Then we woke up, but a side fighting for relegation in their home stadium will always be difficult to play. Two set-pieces in the second half and the game was done.
“We were far away from our best and definitely not good enough to win the points.
“We have to be disappointed and self-critical. There have not been too many tough days this season but this is our toughest result.
“But one thing is for sure, there is no need to dwell on it and from Monday we will keep on going. it’s not in our hands any more but the race is not over.”
For Rangers, a tough season climaxed in unusually stress-free fashion.
The Hoops, second from bottom following six straight defeats when Marti Cifuentes took over from Gareth Ainsworth in October, are safe with a game to spare.
Chair’s deflected 20-yarder put them ahead after nine minutes and Andersen doubled the lead with a cracking strike midway through the first half.
Second-half headers from Dykes and Field then secured a 10th straight season in the Championship at a canter.
Cifuentes said: “It was a fantastic evening. We worked really hard to get this type of performance.
“All the way we have been showing resilience mentally. The whole club felt we were in a huge challenge but we were all together.
“I’m very happy for the players, the fans and the club. It was a difficult task but we managed to get the great escape.”
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