Eddie Gray has given a preview of Sunday’s Championship play-off final at Wembley between Southampton and Leeds United, and he acknowledges that his beloved Whites will face a “tough” opponent.
One game, a shootout for promotion and the opportunity to triumph at the home of English football, will determine the outcome of the entire season. Ipswich Town defeated Leeds, despite the fact that Leeds was very near to placing in the top two.
However, Daniel Farke has given this Leeds team new life after a dismal end to the season with two crucial performances against Norwich City in the play-off semi-finals to go to the Wembley final, the ultimate goal.
In retrospect, the second-leg 4-0 victory at Elland Road was perhaps not as significant as the pivotal 0-0 stalemate at Carrow Road. Leeds stopped the rot with the draw after eight games with one clean sheet and six games with four losses.
After Ilia Gruev’s early goal, Leeds took the lead in the second leg and there was no turning back. The victory was always assured, and momentum is building for Sunday’s championship matchup with Southampton.
Naturally, Saints enter the match fresh off a convincing 3-1 victory over West Brom and are confident in their ability to defeat Leeds both at home and away. Leeds great Gray gave an ITV interview previewing the game.
Leeds are a much-better side and Farke knows his best team, now. On the final day of the season, Leeds knew that they were heading into the play-offs after the disappointment of missing out on the top two.
Gray told ITV that it will be tough against Southampton, but backed his old side to get the job done: “One big game to go, tough. We’re going into it knowing we’re playing a side that have turned us over.
“But I think that we’ve improved a lot as the season has gone on. I think it will be a tough game, there’s no doubt about it because they’re a good side. There’s no reason why we can’t go and win the game.”
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