Norwich City defender Jack Stacey has given his take on Leeds United ahead of the two sides doing battle in the Championship play-off semi-finals, with the first leg taking place on Sunday.
Leeds failed to remain in second place and prevent the juggernaut that was Ipswich Town from stealing automatic promotion from Daniel Farke’s clutches and now, The Whites will have to fight in the play-offs.
Norwich’s loss to Birmingham City meant they slipped to sixth place on the final weekend of the season. It sees Southampton go up against West Brom and Leeds face Norwich on Sunday away from Elland Road.
Leeds will take confidence after beating Norwich home and away. Crysencio Summerville scored a winner in a 3-2 win at Carrow Road while Patrick Bamford netted the only goal of the game at Elland Road.
Having learned of their play-off opponents, Norwich defender Stacey gave his verdict of Leeds and shared what he hoped The Canaries can use to their advantage going into the two-legged affair.
Norwich defender Jack Stacey comments on Leeds play-off clash
Leeds might be somewhat happier to be facing a side they have done the double over than West Brom. The Baggies were in sixth before the start of last weekend, but overtook Norwich into fifth position.
The Whites had only picked up one point from a possible six against West Brom, with Luke Ayling the only man to score against them for Leeds. Ayling of course, has since been loaned out to Middlesbrough.
Stacey told Norwich’s website that he hopes his side can take advantage of the home atmosphere to beat Leeds, before giving his verdict on Farke’s side ahead of the two legs:
“The thing you can take from today is the importance of a home atmosphere. We want to create that for Leeds and use that to our advantage. We know they’re a good team, have lots of real individual quality.
“The two games against them, they’ve been tight games. They’ve been good games and performances in aspects, and we want to take those aspects into the game, stop the negative things that went against us.”
Leeds injury status ahead of Sunday clash against Norwich
Connor Roberts came off the bench against Southampton and he will be fit to play in the play-offs come the weekend, barring no reaction to that substitute return against Russell Martin’s side on Saturday.
Bamford’s knee knock has seen him miss the last two games against QPR and Southampton and that has seen Leeds struggle. Simon Grayson is hopeful Bamford will be back for Sunday’s play-off semi-final.
Summerville picked up an ankle injury against Southampton but hopefully it is just a knock, but doubts are more severe regarding Dan James and Pascal Struijk who have been out injured for a while now.