Blackburn Rovers star Sammie Szmodics has predicted who will win the Championship play-offs from Leeds United, Southampton, West Bromwich Albion and Norwich City.
Szmodics’ winning goal for Blackburn Rovers at Elland Road recently was a huge reason as to why Leeds have had to settle for a play-off place, and he has now shared whether he thinks they can still go up.
Leeds are set to face a two-legged tie against Daniel Farke’s former side Norwich in the semi-finals, starting at Carrow Road on Sunday, before the return fixture in West Yorkshire a week today.
The winner of that will then be rewarded with a trip to Wembley to face one of Southampton or West Brom for the final remaining place in next season’s Premier League.
The play-offs have not been too kind to Leeds over the years and so they will be looking to win promotion via this route for the first time after five previous failed attempts.
Szmodics says one Championship play-off team stands out after playing them
Szmodics was one of the Championship’s best players this season and almost single-handedly kept Blackburn in the division thanks to his return of 27 goals.
As such, there isn’t anyone more qualified than him who can give a prediction heading into the play-offs.
OPTA’s supercomputer has Leeds as the favourites but in order to fulfil that tag, they will have to do what no other Championship side has ever done, by going onto win them after losing four of their last six league matches.
Leeds supporters are not overly confident heading into them but speaking on the latest episode of the ‘No Tippy Tappy Football Podcast‘, Szmodics is.
Szmodics says after playing all four sides twice this season, he can’t look beyond Leeds to go all the way due to the quality in Farke’s side.
He said: “I would have to go, just because I have played against them, with Leeds. Elland Road, tough place to go but not for Blackburn actually! We went there and beat them but the players they’ve got, and the team they’ve got I think they will do it.”
Josh Windass backs Leeds to win play-offs
Szmodics is not the only Championship player to have given his opinion on the play-offs ahead of the weekend, with Sheffield Wednesday’s Josh Windass also having done so.
Windass actually shares the same opinion as Szmodics and believes it will be Leeds who get the job done and so hopefully these players aren’t wrong.
He said: “Bolton will go up. I still think Doncaster and Leeds will win the play-offs. With Leeds not making the top two, I do think there is a mental effect. Years ago when I was at Accrington, we lost out on goal difference.
“Looking back now I’m a bit older, the manager was, ‘argh, we’ve got to do the play-offs’. I don’t know if Leeds will be doing that but that mentality of it being a nightmare. We got knocked out in the semi-finals.
“Leeds need to get that behind them now. Norwich and West Brom are more buzzing they’re in the play-offs. It can mentally have an effect.”