As the Sky Bet Championship playoffs roll on, this week’s second legs will decide who books their spot at Wembley a week on Sunday.
Unfathomably, both first-legs between Norwich and Leeds and West Brom and Southampton ended scoreless.
Opening salvo stalemates, they were perhaps, testament to four out of form sides, who wilted in Sunday’s heat.
However, said drought should be brought to an abrupt end at Elland Road on Thursday night.
Leeds pressure
As Elland Road takes the stage, Leeds are the resounding favourites to progress.
But anxiety will be high in South Yorkshire on Thursday evening.
At one point nailed on for automatic promotion, having fluffed their lines, Leeds have lost their way and in many ways, look lost as a unit.
👀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗵 (𝗛)#LUFC x @Dominicmatteo21 pic.twitter.com/nDoTKHz1bb
— Leeds United (@LUFC) May 15, 2024
Key players like Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter have gone off the boil and the goals have dried up.
Of greatest angst, the memory of their last playoff semi-final will be reawakened.
In 2019, Leeds surrendered a 2-0 aggregate advantage, as the Rams stunned the hosts.
A repeat will be nothing short of a nightmare.
Canaries’ underdog value
The hosts are strong fancies to reach Wembley, however, as documented, this is not the same Whites side of earlier this campaign.
More particularly, Leeds’ recent home record rather belies their odds.
Indeed, the Whites lost their last two games of the campaign at home, and even their last home win against Hull, saw Daniel Farke’s men concede first.
So despite their price, the Canaries can hold a candle of hope.
And at 14/5 with SpreadEx to make the final, punters can be rewarded.
Goals take two?
Either way, we can see another cagey start, but if an opening goal comes early, that could see a flood of goals and drama to play out during 90 mins.
So, for both teams to score after half time, William Hill’s 3/1 price from 5/2 looks inviting.
Leeds United host Norwich City in the first playoff second leg at Elland Road on Thursday evening, kick-off 8pm.
