Our prediction for this Championship match:
A spot in the Premier League will be at stake when Leeds United and Southampton square off against each other in the playoffs final at Wembley Stadium. The Whites rolled over Norwich City 4-0 to set up a meeting with Southampton and they are likely to stick to their attacking style of play in the decider. Barring any fresh injury worries, Daniel Farke is unlikely to make changes to the team that crushed the Canaries. Both Patrick Bamford and Pascal Struijk remain in the recovery room.
Meanwhile, the Saints booked their place in the final by beating WBA in the two-legged tie, but they will have a much bigger fish to fry against the Whites. Given Leeds United’s offensive performance in the triumph over Norwich City, we predict that the nominal visitors are going to return home empty-handed from the trip to London. The likes of Stuart Armstrong, Gavin Bazunu, and Juan Larios are injured for the away team.
Highlighted Player (Patrick Bamford):
![Patrick Bamford](https://footballpredictions.com/wp-content/plugins/fp-highlights/imageid/player/28059632.png)
Known for his technical ability and versatility, Patrick Bamford is an English professional footballer who plays for Leeds United in the Championship. The 6ft tall forward who was born in Grantham, Lincolnshire, is a Nottingham Forest youth product and signed his first professional with the club in 2011. He made his professional debut, playing for the Reds in a 0-1 home defeat to Cardiff on the 31st of December, 2011.
Bamford's career then took him to Premier League giants Chelsea with whom he signed a five year deal worth 1.5 million pounds on the 31st of January, 2012. His time at the Blues included loan spells at clubs like Milton Keynes Dons, Derby County, Middlesborough, Crystal Palace, Norwich, and Burnley. He scored his first professional goal while playing for Milton against Crewe Alexandra on the 19th of March, 2013. In January 2017, Bamford permanently left Chelsea to reunite with Middlesborough on a four-and-a-half-year deal. In his second spell, Bamford made 47 appearances for the club and scored 12 goals.
The Striker followed up by joining Championship side Leeds United for the 18/19 season and is currently on a four-and-a-half-year contract with the club. Born on the 5th of September, 1993, the 26-year-old initially featured for the Republic of Ireland under-18 team before switching to represent England for whom he's gone on to serve at the under-18, under-19, and the under-21 level.
Highlighted Team (Leeds United):
![Leeds United](https://footballpredictions.com/wp-content/plugins/fp-highlights/imageid/team/671.png)
Leeds United is one of the clubs that won the FA Cup. The Whites outplayed Arsenal in the final of the prestigious competition back in 1972, but they clinched the League Cup trophy as well. Leeds United faced the Gunners in the 1967/1968 League Cup final and it has to be noted that Terry Cooper scored the winner for the Whites.
Leeds play their home games at Elland Road and the capacity of the stadium is 37,914. The club was founded in 1919 and they have won three First Division (Premier League) trophies ever since (1968/1969, 1973/1974, 1991/1992). Leeds United made it to the Champions League final in 1975, but they were beaten by Bayern Munich in the title clash.
The Whites were impressive under David O’Leary. The likes of Jonathan Woodgate, Lee Bowyer, Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka and Ian Harte were part of the Elland Road outfit back then and they did well to reach the semis of the Champions League in 2001.