Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Championship clash between Norwich City and Leeds United, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Norwich City and Leeds United will continue their bid for promotion to the Premier League on Sunday afternoon when they square off in the first leg of their Championship playoff semi-final.
Both sides suffered defeats on the final day of the regular season, yet were still able to finish in sixth and third place in the standings.
Match preview
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When the playoffs come round each year, the general consensus is that the teams in form have the best chance of securing promotion, regardless of their finishing position.
Leeds will hope that is not the case this year with Daniel Farke‘s side having lost four of their final six matches of the regular campaign.
Last weekend’s 2-1 reverse at home to Southampton represented the third game in succession that they have failed to win at Elland Road. Furthermore, they have scored just one goal.
The away form of Farke’s team has not been much better. Although they edged out Middlesbrough in a seven-goal thriller at the Riverside Stadium, that was followed by a 4-0 reverse at Queens Park Rangers.
Since the return after the March international break, Leeds have kept just one clean sheet and conceded a total of 15 goals in eight matches, hardly the return that they would have wanted ahead of a trip to Norwich.
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Although Norwich have posted draws in their last two fixtures at Carrow Road, they still boast one of the most impressive home records in English football.
You have to go back to November 5 for the last time that the Canaries suffered defeat on familiar territory, an unbeaten run that has now reached 15 matches.
Nevertheless, this is also a team that have prevailed in just one of their most recent five fixtures in the second tier, that being a 1-0 success at Preston North End.
David Wagner‘s outfit ended the regular campaign with a 1-0 reverse at Birmingham City, extending their run of games without scoring more than twice in a single encounter to eight.
As for the corresponding fixture earlier in the season, Leeds would emerge victorious by a 3-2 scoreline back in October, overturning a two-goal deficit with three goals in 22 second-half minutes.
Norwich City Championship form:
Leeds United Championship form:
Team News
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Farke has confirmed that Norwich trio Liam Gibbs, Onel Hernandez and Ashley Barnes will all miss Sunday’s encounter at Carrow Road.
Jonathan Rowe is pushing for a start after a number of substitute outings since recovering from injury, but it is plausible that Wagner could name the same starting lineup, despite the defeat at St Andrew’s.
As for Leeds, Patrick Bamford has been ruled out of both legs of the semi-finals as he continues to deal with a knee injury.
While Daniel James is pushing for a return after injury, the likelihood is that the winger will only be named among the replacements at best.
Archie Gray is expected to return to the starting lineup at right-back in what may prove to be the only alteration.
Norwich City possible starting lineup:
Gunn; Stacey, Duffy, Gibson, McCallum; Sorensen, McLean; Sara, Nunez, Sainz; Sargent
Leeds United possible starting lineup:
Meslier; Gray, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo; Gruev, Kamara; Gnonto, Rutter, Summerville; Piroe
We say: Norwich City 1-2 Leeds United
Norwich’s home form means that they are a threat to anyone, especially an out-of-form Leeds side. Nevertheless, the playoffs can sometimes be a lottery, and we feel that the visitors will find something extra in the final third to establish a lead ahead of the second leg.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.