Thursday 16th May 8:00pm | Elland Road
Leeds must see off Norwich City on Thursday night if they want to progress to the play-off final against either Southampton or West Brom, in what will be their biggest game in both their recent histories! After keeping the Canaries caged during the first leg, home advantage gives the Yorkshire outfit a slight edge. Up until the International Break, Leeds were undefeated at home but back to back defeats against Blackburn and Southampton may give David Wagner a glimmer of hope.
Patrick Bamford has been ruled out of the second leg. The 30 year old forward has ben out of action since bruising his knee during the 4-3 win at Middlesbrough last month, but a new diagnosis shows a minor trauma in his patellar tendon which connects the bottom of the kneecap (patella) to the top of the shinbone (tibia).
His absence will have givenLeeds boss Daniel Farke a major selection dilemma. But with the absence of Sam Byram, Archie Gray returns to right back with Georginio Rutter to the No.10 role and Joel Piroe up front. As much as the fans were calling for it, it would have been too much of a risk to throw Joseph Matteo into the starting line-up after just 220 minutes of league game time all season.
Dan James and Connor Roberts have overcome their respective injuries but are more likely to start on the bench. Pascal Struijk and Stuart Dallas are once again ruled out! The visitors will be without the services of Onel Hernandez (foot) and Liam Gibbs (thigh). Veteran striker Ashley Barnes is doubtful with a calf injury, though leading scorer Josh Sargent is expected to shake off an ankle injury he picked up in the closing stages of the first leg on Sunday.
The first leg of the Leeds United vs Norwich City play-off was an uneventful affair, ending in a 0-0 draw. Despite the lack of excitement, the result was not entirely unfavorable for Leeds. Manager Daniel Farke set up his team to avoid a loss and halt their recent slide, a strategy that succeeded in preventing a defeat. Norwich had hoped for a win, especially considering their stronger home form, but they were unable to capitalize on their advantage.
Will Norwich City adopt a defensive stance, aiming to frustrate Leeds and hit on the counter-attack? Or will they opt for a more aggressive approach? Leeds must decide whether to take a cautious approach or go all out for victory. Adding to the tension is the fact that Leeds have lost the last two play-offs where the second leg was at home, a bit of trivia that adds a layer of psychological complexity to the match.
