Leeds vs Norwich prediction: ENGLAND: Championship – Play Offs betting tips on match 2024-05-15 19:00.
[p]After playing out a cagey goalless draw in the first leg, Leeds boss Daniel Farke preferred to label it a “good and solid result” against his former side despite the fact it extended their winless run to three matches (D1, L2). However, perhaps more paramount with the play-off final at Wembley in mind, the result also extended their own five-game unbeaten run against Norwich (W4, D1). [/p]
[p]While that should boost confidence coming into this second leg, there may remain a sense of trepidation after five failed attempts for Leeds to gain promotion via the play-offs. Farke knows what it takes to get a side to the Premier League, although his two promotion-winning campaigns as Norwich boss saw them go up as champions. Whilst this tie is Farke’s first play-off experience, he may take solace in the fact that nine of the 19 third-placed teams were promoted since the EFL’s 2004 rebrand.[/p]
[p]Canaries boss David Wagner is no stranger to the play-offs, having led Huddersfield to an unlikely promotion via this route back in 2017. In the here and now, fans were left worried after star striker Josh Sargent had to be withdrawn with an ankle problem, but Wagner assured the press that “he’s a tough guy,” so it remains to be seen whether there will be a 16-goal hole in the Norwich front line.[/p]
[p]No matter who bears the burden of scoring for Norwich, they’ll be hoping that Leeds’ home advantage has been overstated in the build-up to this return leg. Norwich travel here on the back of an away defeat and have lost their most recent two trips to Elland Road, although they haven’t lost back-to-back Championship away games this year (W3, D3, L4).[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Leeds’ Sam Byram has averaged 1.9 tackles per game across the league season, but he put in an incredible five successful tackles in the first leg to help nullify the threat of his former employers. He’ll be trying to stop the likes of Norwich midfielder Marcelino Núñez, who took three of Norwich’s seven shots in the first leg and both of his league goals this season were match-openers from direct free-kicks. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Norwich are unbeaten in 53% of their Championship away games as pre-match outsiders this season (W4, D5, L8). [/p]