Former Southampton and Leeds United midfielder David Prutton has been looking ahead to the play-off final on Sunday.
After a long playing career that saw him play for the likes of Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest as well as Southampton and Leeds, Prutton has become the face of Sky Sports‘ EFL coverage.
The Saints and Leeds both drew their Championship play-off semi-final first legs 0-0, away at West Brom and Norwich City respectively, before blowing their opponents away in the home ties 3-1 and 4-0.
Over the course of the regular season Southampton beat Leeds in both league fixtures, with a 3-1 victory at St Mary’s in September and a 2-1 triumph at Elland Road just three weeks ago.
With Leeds finishing third in the league and Southampton just one place behind them in fourth it is sure to be a fascinating contest and who better to cast their eye over the clash than Prutton given his association with both clubs.
David Prutton names two Southampton danger men
Prutton was previewing the game on the Sky Sports Youtube channel and made reference to the bearing the final game of the regular season between Leeds and Southampton had on the Wembley final.
The 42-year-old said: “I think there’s all the clichés about form being out the window and it being a one-off game and I do think there’s an element of that.
“The fact that game was only a few days ago, with Southampton going to Elland Road and getting all three points, it means that possibly there is a little bit of a psychological advantage.”
With their hopes of automatic promotion dashed with a run of three straight defeats prior to that Leeds game, Southampton manager Russell Martin was expected to rest a number of his key players.
Therefore, when the team sheet was announced it left a lot of people surprised as he not only went full strength but also sprung a formation change as he switched from his usual 4-3-3 to play with a back three.
This proved an inspired decision with Saints winning that game, before again utilising the new 3-5-2 shape away at West Brom to take a 0-0 draw back to St Mary’s.
However, it did not come without cost as Che Adams limped off in the second-half against Leeds and has not yet featured in the play-offs.
The Scotland striker was expected to be back fit for both West Brom games but remained sidelined, with Southampton hoping he can return at Wembley in what could be his final game for the club given he is out of contract in the summer.
Adams is one of the two players Prutton identified as the main threat for the Saints, as he said: “They’ve got some very good players, Southampton, not least Adam Armstrong. He’s the type of player that can cause problems.”
“Che Adams potentially, there’s still question marks about his fitness, but together those two are potent.”
The pair have 39 Championship goals between them this season, with 23 for Armstrong and 16 for Adams, so it is no wonder Prutton sees them as the danger men.
Prutton predicts close final between Southampton and Leeds
Prutton described the forthcoming encounter between the two sides as a “fascinating match-up”, citing the history between Martin and Leeds manager Daniel Farke as one of the reasons.
The player-turned-presenter also predicts a more open affair than has been seen in recent Championship play-off finals, with the huge reward for winning often taking away from the spectacle.
Prutton explained:“From the outside looking in, you talk about how cagey these games can be, there’s something in me that’s leaning towards this one being more expansive.”
Leeds’ record in the play-offs has been a talking point in the build up to the final, with the club having failed to secure promotion in their five previous play-off campaigns.
Southampton have only played in the play-offs once, where they lost to Derby County on penalties in the semi-final in 2007.
However, Prutton believes Leeds’ luck could be about to change, as he predicted: “It’s been five play-off campaigns they’ve not got through. We looked at something similar when Brentford got up, I think theirs was about eight.
“I’m saying Leeds fans, you can keep the faith because at some stage that duck has got to break.
“I’ve just waxed lyrical about Leeds but I love Southampton fans as well. My family is split, my friends are split, they support each. I think Leeds squeeze through on penalties 10-9.”
Saints fans will hope their former player is wrong on this one and it is instead the south coast club who secure an instant return to the Premier League.