Leeds United are expected to finish third in the Championship table after surrendering second place to Ipswich Town and both Micah Richards and Alan Shearer have predicted who wins the play-offs.
Last Friday’s 4-0 loss to QPR saw Leeds miss the opportunity to go four points clear of Ipswich. Kieran McKenna’s side then had two games in hand and have picked up a win and a draw from those games.
A 3-3 draw at Hull was followed by a 2-1 win at Coventry and it leaves The Tractor Boys sitting in second. Three points separate Leeds and Ipswich going into the final weekend of the Championship season.
Leeds face fourth-placed Southampton at Elland Road in a possible dress rehearsal of the play-off final. Daniel Farke’s side can finish in second but need pretty-much relegated Huddersfield to beat Ipswich.
It is likely Leeds finish second and as things stand, the Whites will take on Carlos Corberan’s West Brom in the play-off semi-finals. Southampton and Norwich City would do battle in the other-semi-final.
Micah Richards and Alan Shearer discussed who wins the play-offs this season after both predicting Ipswich to hold onto second this weekend, with Shearer backing his old side Southampton to do the job.
But Richards told The Rest Is Football that he thinks Leeds win the play-offs at Wembley:
Richards and Shearer predict who wins Championship play-offs
Gary Lineker asked the question and Shearer, who came through Southampton’s academy before going to Blackburn and Newcastle said: “Southampton for the play-offs. I’ve got to, they’re my old club.”
Richards then backed Leeds to get the job done: “I’m gonna go Leeds in the play-offs. They’re going to bring an army down in the play-offs. Ipswich go automatic, I’m going to say Leeds in the play-offs.”
What Southampton boss Russell Martin has said about Leeds fans
Saints boss Martin believes Leeds and Southampton fans are in a similar boat after both sides spent time in the top two. He says that he was at last Friday’s defeat to QPR and got a feeling from Whites fans.
“I have to accept that disappointment and the expectations of this club [Southampton]. I was at that game [QPR vs Leeds]. I sense their fans felt very similar to how ours felt after the defeat to Stoke.”
It will be interesting to see what kind of approach Farke takes. Does he rest players and accepts that Leeds will be in the play-offs? Does he go full strength and hope Huddersfield do a job on Ipswich?
Momentum is key and that is likely to see Farke go full strength in order to try and carry a win into the play-offs, and gain a mental advantage in case they do meet Southampton at Wembley.