Championship play-off final LIVE: Leeds and Southampton battle for Premier League place at Wembley

After just one season away, they are back in the Premier League, a play-off final win at Wembley, seeing the despair of 12 months ago turn to joy now, optimism fueled once again that this time can be different, this time they can stay among the elite and become a sustainable, sustainedthe top part.

Only one thing to decide: the actual team to which that opening paragraph can be applied. Leeds United or Southampton, in any case, still rings true – two of last year’s relegated trio, one will join another to return straight.

Leicester City are already there, and just as last year’s three promoted sides succumbed to immediate relegation, the three relegated names of the last quarter have gone the distance to reclaim their place in England’s top 20. The town of Ipswich, of course, is the outlier here. They were neither in the Premier League nor the Championship last year, the story of the Tractor Boys and Kieran McKenna one that is rarely repeated and impressive in its own right – but also a once in a year story. promotions and demotions.

The bottom line is that only one of Saints or Leeds can win the right to go straight back up now, with the loser facing another tough second-tier campaign; Leeds finished the regular season in third place, one place and three points above their Wembley foes, but Saints triumphed in a final day meeting between the sides, 2-1 at Elland Road.

Read Karl Matchett’s full analysis ahead of today’s play-off final:

Southampton are believed to have no new fitness issues. Stuart Armstrong and Gavin Bazunu remain out.

Southampton XI predicted: McCarthy; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Aribo, Downes, Smallbone; Brooks, Armstrong, Fraser.

Patrick Bamford will miss the final as he has not recovered enough from his knee injury to play. However, Sam Byram could be fit to start after returning to training ahead of the game.

Leeds XI predicted: Tradesman; Gray, Ampadu, Rodon, Firpo; Gruev, Kamara; Gnonto, Rutter, Summerville; Pyro

Leeds vs Southampton is set to kick off at 3pm BST on Sunday 26th May at Wembley Stadium.

UK viewers can watch the Championship play-off final live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football, with coverage on the latter channel from 2pm BST. Subscribers can stream the game via Sky Go.

If you’re not a Sky customer, you can get one NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.

The third- and fourth-placed reached the semi-finals in relative comfort, each recording emphatic wins at home in the second leg after securing 0-0 draws away from home in the first leg to book their place in this decisive match.

For which fervent fan base will it be a famous day at Wembley? Here’s everything you need to know:

Hello and welcome Of the Independent coverage of the Championship play-off final between Leeds and Southampton.

Both teams were relegated from the Premier League last season, but the winner of the ‘richest game in football’ at Wembley will earn an immediate return to the promised land.

Stay with us for complete live coverage