Darren Bent has been discussing who he thinks will win the Championship play-off final.
Both Leeds United and Southampton are preparing for the all-or-nothing clash at Wembley on Sunday, having finished third and fourth respectively in the league this season.
Both sides were impressive in the semi-finals, with Leeds beating Norwich City 4-0 and Southampton despatching of West Brom with a 3-1 win.
The game should be full of tension but both sides also possess real quality which should ensure an exciting game.
Southampton had the better of Leeds in the regular season, with Russell Martin twice steering his side to wins over Daniel Farke’s side, and Bent has tipped the Saints to make it three from three.
Darren Bent thinks Southampton will win the play-offs
Bent was previewing the Premier League decider on talkSPORT on Monday evening.
Both teams showed a resilient side in the semi-finals, drawing their away legs 0-0 before both winning at home.
Of course, neither side has the benefit of home advantage, although technically Leeds are the ‘home’ side at Wembley as they finished higher than Southampton in the league.
This has caused some controversy, as Leeds selecting to wear their home colours means the Saints will be playing in their third kit to avoid a clash.
However, Bent does not feel this – or anything else – will impact Southampton overcoming their opponents on Sunday, as he predicted: “I said from the start, I thought Southampton would go up, so I will stick with Southampton.”
Russell Martin should be praised regardless of play-off fate
Southampton manager Martin had an unenviable task when he arrived in the summer.
The club had suffered a damaging bottom-placed finish in the Premier League and the scars of such a confidence-sapping campaign was clear to see.
The 38-year-old also saw a number of players depart the club in his first couple of months in charge as he was tasked with a complete overhaul of the playing style to implement his possession-focused philosophy.
There have been ups and downs throughout the season, with the 25-game unbeaten run an obvious highlight, but the former Swansea City manager has helped mend a fractured relationship with the fanbase.
Some fans needed some persuading before coming around to accept his style of football, but it now feels like everyone is pulling in the same direction and Martin deserves enormous credit for that.