2023-24 Sky Bet Championship: Week 46 – Leeds vs Southampton

Leeds look to keep their slim promotion hopes alive against Southampton at Elland Road on a blockbuster final-day of 2023-24 Championship. 

Only victory would give Leeds a chance at claiming automatic promotion, but Daniel Farke’s Whites need Ipswich to lose at home to Huddersfield in order to avoid the play-offs.

Southampton will finish fourth regardless of the result.

 

Team News

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Patrick Bamford is a doubt for Leeds after he missed their defeat at QPR due to a knee injury, despite having travelled with the team to Loftus Road.

Connor Roberts (muscle) is also a doubt but Dan James (rib/muscle), Darko Gyabi (groin) and Pascal Struijk (groin) remain absent.

Southampton have no fresh injury concerns to report after their 1-0 home loss to Stoke last weekend.

Gavin Bazunu (Achilles), Stuart Armstrong, Juan Larios (both hamstring) and Ross Stewart (muscle) remain sidelined.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Leeds host Southampton on Saturday 4 May at Elland Road in a 12:30pm BST kick-off, live on Sky Sports Football in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

  • Leeds have won one of their last five meetings against Southampton (W1, D2, L2).
  • Southampton have won one of their last five league visits to Leeds (W1, D1, L3).
  • Leeds have kept clean sheets in three of their last five home games against Southampton.
  • Daniel Farke’s Whites are looking to avoid going three consecutive home matches without a goal for the first time since August-September 2006.
  • Southampton are looking to avoid a second run of four consecutive league defeats this season, having lost four straight games in September.

 

Prediction

After their defensive Rocky Horror Show at QPR last weekend, Leeds’ promotion fate is out of their hands but they simply need to turn up and deliver a clinical result and hope luck swings their way and avoid any more silliness at the back.

With three consecutive defeats having ended all hopes of automatic promotion, Southampton need to knuckle down here and rediscover their attacking spark after a wasteful performance against Stoke despite various changes if want momentum for the play-offs.

Throw in a cagey atmosphere for the hosts with their fate out of their hands and Southampton could well sniff a chance, but Leeds have been extremely strong at home this season so you have to fancy them to nick this.

Prediction: Leeds 1-0 Southampton

Result: Leeds 1-2 Southampton

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