Leeds take on Southampton in the final match of English Championship playoffs. The match will be played on Sunday, May 26th at Wembley Stadium (London).
Leeds United are undoubtedly a cult club in England. They spent a long time in the Championship last time and it was only Bielsa who lifted and kept this popular project in the Premier League. However, the Argentine was ungratefully sacked just over two years ago, and the team lost their place in the top division last spring. To avoid getting stuck at a lower level, they brought in Daniel Farke, who had achieved similar success with Norwich. But the race for 1st-2nd place was ultimately lost not only to favorites Leicester but also to Ipswich. While their competitors did not shine towards the end, Leeds looked the least convincing, recording four defeats, one win, and one draw. Moreover, the playoffs began with a 0-0 draw against Norwich, Farke's former team. But in the second leg, they demolished the Canaries, quickly opening the scoring, netting three times before halftime, and securing a 4-0 final score by the middle of the second half.
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Southampton faces a similar task. The Saints may not be as popular across England as their opponent, but they have stayed in the Premier League for much longer in this century and even made it to European competitions. When new owner Dragan Solak, who had money to spend, came in, there were immediate talks about returning to the international stage. However, a series of setbacks led the club, which was expected to at least compete for the Conference League, to drop into the Championship. The renewed team was supposed to bring Southampton straight back under Russell Martin. However, it quickly became clear that a direct ticket, at least 2nd place, was not achievable. Yet, they consistently stayed in the top six. And, entering the playoffs, they followed a scenario similar to Leeds. At home, West Bromwich managed a 0-0 draw, but away at St Mary's, they conceded three times, only responding with a classic consolation goal in added time.
Before their relegation from the Premier League, the Whites took 4 out of 6 possible points in the 2022/2023 head-to-head encounters. But in the Championship, the Saints were stronger both at home and away. The odds for this matchup are roughly equal. We expect not only a close but also a quite entertaining game, with a prediction of total over 2.5 goals.
Prediction for the match: Over 2.5 scored goals.
