Leeds United v Southampton predicted as huge final day promotion decider as Leicester win title
Rob Earnshaw has predicted a “huge” final-day clash between Leeds United and Southampton for the final automatic promotion place.
The Sky Sports pundit was speaking live from The Hawthorns on 16 February after the Saints won 2-0 against West Brom to go a point above the Whites, where he tipped leaders Leicester City to “run away with” the title.
But in a game as big as the play-off final itself he is hoping for a win-and-in decider at Elland Road on 4 May, as he admitted he would “actually love it” to happen.
Earnshaw said: “I think Leicester will run away with it, but is it Southampton play Leeds on the final day? That could be a play-off final in itself.”
David Prutton added: “Well it’s as big as the play-off final potentially if it’s for that second spot.”
“Huge. So big,” Earnshaw continued. “I’d actually love it to be honest. I’d love it if it goes down to there because what an almost-final that would be.
“But I tell you what, it’s so competitive, so competitive. And good on them, because those teams there, it’s going to go down to the last day to see just who’s in the play-offs.
“But the top three, I think Leicester will run away with it, they’re too good, and I think Leeds and Southampton will be right there. I still think both of those will have a little bit of a dodgy patch. So maybe somebody else like an Ipswich, a West Brom will come back. You never know.”
Leeds United vs Southampton decider at Elland Road in May
Given the choice Daniel Farke, and probably plenty of fans, would much rather to have a return to the Premier League wrapped up long before the final day of the season.
But there’s no denying that would be an incredible prospect, and based on the current form of each club it is starting to look increasingly possible.
Leeds United have won every league game since the start of 2024 and so would surely back themselves to overcome anybody at Elland Road, so the potential decider being at home is a huge advantage.
Russell Martin’s side bounced back from their first defeat in months to Bristol City at West Brom, and it was the Saints who inflicted arguably the Whites’ most comprehensive loss of the season on them at St. Mary’s on 30 September.
So if it comes down to it the return fixture would indeed be a massive game if it actually has promotion outcomes riding on it.
Plenty of neutrals will be hoping for the same as Earnshaw, but for Leeds the tension might be unbearable and given how the situation deteriorated in the home leg of the infamous play-off defeat to Frank Lampard’s Derby County under Marcelo Bielsa it might be a risk not worth taking.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites are now expected to push to complete a vital signing even if they don’t make it back to the Premier League.
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