Dan Bardell predicts ‘difficult’ play-off task for Leeds United in promotion hunt
Dan Bardell has suggested that Leeds United must be in top form to earn promotion if they are to finish in a play-off spot on Saturday (4 May).
Ipswich Town are just one point away from the Premier League after a 2-1 win over Coventry City on Tuesday night (30 April).
Thanks to a 4-0 defeat to QPR, promotion out of the Championship is out of the Whites’ hands ahead of their clash against Southampton.
They are likely to participate in the playoffs and Bardell believes it will be a challenge for Daniel Farke’s side after hitting a rough patch of form.
Speaking exclusively to MOT Leeds News, Bardell said: “I always think that the team who drop from automatic promotion and then ends up in the playoff find it hard.
“I don’t feel like anyone has momentum at the moment which is interesting. Normally there’s a team that enters the top six at just the right time. Generally, everyone in the Championship is limping towards the finish line this season.
“If it is the playoffs for Leeds, I think it’s going to be really difficult. It’s going to require some excellent management from Farke to get his players and give them a boost.
“When you think you might get automatic promotion and you end up in the playoffs, it’s really difficult so I think it’s going to be fascinating.”
Looks like a playoff finish for Leeds United
After a superb season in the Championship, Leeds can certainly feel hard done by if they aren’t automatically promoted.
With one game remaining, Farke’s side has accrued 90 points. The last time a side wasn’t promoted with that many points was Sunderland in 1998 and it has never happened since the rebrand to the Championship.
They have the best player in the division in Crysencio Summerville who may be looking at a move away if Leeds aren’t in the Premier League.
Farke and his players only have themselves to blame if this isn’t the case given their poor form across April.
After the win against Leicester City at Elland Road (23 February), it felt like it was just a matter of time until promotion was secured.
Now it feels highly likely that a playoff semi-final against West Bromwich Albion, Hull or Norwich City will be the decider for their league future.
In other Leeds news, one Leicester star has taken a swipe at the Whites and Georginio Rutter after they sealed the Championship title.
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