Paul Merson has shared his prediction for the Championship play-offs after both Gary Rowett and Clinton Morrison tipped Leeds United to get across the line.
The first-leg of the semi-finals will be played on Sunday with Norwich City set to host Leeds at Carrow Road, and Southampton travelling to the Hawthorns to face West Brom.
Of course, the league table would suggest that both Leeds and Southampton should be overwhelming favourites to book their tickets to Wembley. But the play-offs often do not work out that way.
For much of the campaign, both Leeds and Southampton were in the mix for automatic-promotion, but they both lost all momentum ahead of the final weeks of the season. And ultimately, Ipswich Town were able to secure second spot in as comfortable a manner as is possible ahead of a final day showdown.
Paul Merson tips West Brom for promotion ahead of Leeds
Norwich and West Brom went into the final day with the slight possibility of falling out of the top-six, so they will both be buoyed by still having a chance to secure promotion.
And speaking on Soccer Saturday (broadcast on 11/5; 13:58), Paul Merson predicted a bit of an upset after Leeds were tipped by the likes of Gary Rowett and Clinton Morrison.
“I am going to go for Leeds,” Rowett said.
“It’s a difficult one. Leeds, Southampton… I am going to go for Leeds. Leeds will win it. Just win it. It will be a close final between them and Southampton,” Morrison added.
“I have got a feeling for West Brom. Yeah. I have a feeling for them. I think they are a decent team, and they have got no pressure on them. I think they will be the one,” Merson claimed.
Leeds have the quality to surprise doubters
The positive for Leeds is that if Daniel Farke’s men turn up and play at anything like their best, they should have enough quality to get across the line.
Admittedly, Leeds have not beaten either West Brom or Southampton this season. And Norwich gave the Whites a scare at Carrow Road.
It is also alarming how poor Leeds have been for several weeks now, losing three of their final four league games when the promotion race was still in the balance.
But that form should make Farke’s team talk a simple one before Sunday’s first-leg. Leeds simply have to be so much better than they have been, with everything which has gone before now irrelevant.