Darren Bent has predicted the result ahead of Thursday night’s play-off semi-final second leg between Leeds United and Norwich City at Elland Road.
The two sides played out a cagey 0-0 draw at Carrow Road on Sunday and that means the two sides will lock horns again in a one-game shootout at Elland Road to reach the final at Wembley on May 26.
Daniel Farke’s side garnered some momentum on Sunday after a poor run of form which included four losses in the prior six games and just one clean sheet in eight matches before the trip to East Anglia.
Leeds will draw confidence having won home and away. Crysencio Summerville starred with a brace in a comeback 3-2 win at Carrow Road, before Patrick Bamford scored the only goal of the game at home.
Norwich meanwhile have the 19th-worst away record in the Championship, while Leeds have the second-best home record. Danny Mills said that all signs point to a Leeds win on Thursday night at Elland Road.
But Darren Bent disagrees, predicting the exact result on TalKSPORT (Thursday, 4.55PM). The former England and Tottenham striker has backed Norwich to win at Elland Road and picked the score.
Bent predicts Norwich to beat Leeds at Elland Road tonight
Norwich certainly have plenty of threat, especially if 16-goal Josh Sargent is fit. There are doubts, albeit David Wagner played those down after Sargent came off against Leeds with an ankle issue on Sunday.
Leeds are favourites to win the game given the home record in the Championship and having beaten Norwich twice in the regular season. Home advantage could be key as Leeds look for an instant return.
Bent predicted a narrow win for Norwich over Leeds on Thursday night: “2-1. 2-1 to Norwich. Norwich will score first, Leeds will equalise and then Norwich will score in like the 79th minute to go through.”
What Leeds absolutely have to do first to beat Norwich tonight
The home crowd is crucial, getting the best out of our best players is important. But what is utterly going to win this game is scoring the first goal, and doing it early from the point of view of Leeds, tonight.
Leeds need to get fans onside early and repay what will be a ferocious atmosphere in Yorkshire as The Whites look to break their play-off hoodoo, which has seen Leeds fail all five times at this stage.
Scoring a goal early, inside the first 20 minutes, will send Leeds into the play-off final where they will then take on either Southampton or West Brom. Failure to score, and nerves will grow among the supporters.