Leeds United and Southampton are preparing to do battle in the Championship play-off final at Wembley on Sunday, and below is our combined XI of both teams ahead of the clash.
Sunday’s encounter promises to be a tight affair after Leeds finished three points above Southampton in the Championship table, but lost on both occasions to Russell Martin’s side during the 2023-24 season.
Leeds go in to the clash with Willy Gnonto and Connor Roberts fit, but Patrick Bamford remains a doubt. For Southampton, manager Martin is confident both Che Adams and Ross Stewart will be available.
Below, is our combined XI of both sides:
Goalkeeper
Alex McCarthy, once on loan at Leeds, will be in goal on Sunday but it is Gavin Bazunu that has been no.1 for Southampton this season. However, his stats are nothing compared to what Meslier’s stats this term.
Bazunu kept just 11 clean sheets in 41 Championship games while Meslier won the golden glove with 19 clean sheets in the regular season, and then two more in the play-offs with clean sheets against Norwich.
Defence
Leeds have chopped and changed at right-back this season, with Archie Gray, Luke Ayling, Sam Byram and Connor Roberts all used there. But Kyle Walker-Peters has starred on the right for Southampton.
Alongside him in defence is another Southampton player, in Taylor Harwood-Bellis, who Leeds actually tried to sign last summer. He has helped Leeds keep 14 clean sheets in 45 games in all competitions.
Even scoring twice. Joe Rodon has been one of Leeds’ best players this season and he goes in, while Junior Firpo’s form since January on the left earns him a spot over Ryan Manning, also linked with Leeds.
Midfield
Plenty of options here, with Southampton boasting impressive talents such as Will Smallbone and Joe Aribo. But the Saints choice here is ‘brilliant’ summer signing Flynn Downes, who has been ever-reliable.
Glen Kamara has been good for Leeds, without ever perhaps being incredible while Ilia Gruev has only come to the fore in the second half of the season but Ethan Ampadu has been a leader for The Whites.
He might be playing in defence now but Ampadu has arguably been our best permanent signing of the season, never missing a minute of action and now wearing the armband for Daniel Farke’s side.
Attack
The no.10 role has a couple of suitors, with Aribo and Smallbone also falling into this category while Scotland star Stuart Armstrong has impressed, but Georginio Rutter is a game-changer at this level.
He gets the nod as a 10, while £30m-rated Championship Player of the Season in Crysencio Summerville is an easy choice on the left. David Brooks is a top player, while Leeds also have Dan James on the right.
But Willy Gnonto reminded all why he is an Italy international with his assist in the 4-0 win over Norwich, and he is the best option on the right. Up top, Leeds have struggled to get it right this season.
Joel Piroe has been up and down, while Patrick Bamford – who is fighting to be fit for Sunday – has played his part in the second half of the season. But Adam Armstrong has been sensational for Martin’s Saints.
He has had a hand in more goals than Summerville, with 23 goals and 13 assists and he’s the pick of Southampton’s strikers above Che Adams and Stewart. So, Armstrong gets the nod as the no.9
Combined XI: Illan Meslier; Kyle Walker-Peters, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Joe Rodon, Junior Firpo; Flynn Downes, Ethan Ampadu; Willy Gnonto, Georginio Rutter, Crysencio Summerville; Adam Armstrong.