Leeds United are encouragingly awaiting him in the play-offs despite Southampton’s worrying record this season – See

Soccer Football – Championship – Leeds United v Southampton – Elland Road, Leeds, UK – 4 May 2024 Leeds United manager Daniel Farke applauds the fans after the match Action Images/Craig Brough EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No unauthorized use of audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online use during the match is limited to 75 images, without video emulation. Not used in single club/league/player betting, games or publications. Please contact your account representative for more details.

Leeds United face Southampton at Wembley in the play-off final on Sunday, looking to win at the third time of asking against Saints, but should be encouraged by the final results of the League Two and League One play-offs.

Leeds finished as the third-best team in the Championship this season, which is the position they deserve with a half of 90 points – moving them six clear of automatic promotion but three adrift of fourth.

Then the fourth best team in the league was Southampton and it is a rightful final to play at Wembley this weekend, which could have the Albi as favorites due to the completion of the league and the semi-final result against Norwich City.

Farke’s Leeds need to arrest a poor record against Martin’s Southampton

There can be a multitude of excuses for why Leeds lost both of their games against Southampton, be it the strength of the team selection on both sides, the mentality in both games or whatever you want to attribute it to.

The bottom line is that Russell Martin’s Southampton are the only team this season to have played Leeds twice and won both times, winning 3-1 in September at St Mary’s, then running out 1-2 winners on the final day at Elland Road.

For Leeds to secure promotion, Daniel Farke will need to buck that trend and claim victory over the only side to have done the League double against the Whites in the regular 46-game campaign.

Playoff Final: Leeds United v Southampton predictions

League 1 and 2 playoff results should give Leeds justified Wembley hopes

Leeds v Southampton is the last EFL play-off to take place, with the League Two and League One clashes taking place last weekend.

Crawley Town climbed into the third tier against all odds this season when they defeated Crewe Alexandra at Wembley with a 2-0 win.

In League One, Oxford United (where Sonny Perkins spent the first half of the season) sealed a 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers.

Crawley (seventh) and Oxford (5th) were the relative underdogs of their finals, but one thing that should give Leeds hope of finally beating Southampton is that both sides are winless against their opponents and in regular season.

For Crawley, Crewe did the double over them with a 2-4 away win and a 1-0 home win.

As for Oxford, they drew 0-0 at home to Ian Evatt’s side before being hammered 5-0 at the interestingly named Toughsheet Community Stadium later in the campaign.

Both sides proved that league form means nothing when you go to Wembley and Leeds could make it three from three teams to end their winless runs against their play-off final rivals.

Quiz: Remember Leeds United’s last 15 results against Southampton before the play-off final?