Norwich vs Leeds tips and predictions: Familiar faces haunt Farke in Championship play-offs

It’s fitting that Norwich City will meet Leeds United in the play-offs. Not just because of the Daniel Farke link, but the amount of history these teams have shared in recent years.

Farke’s Canaries beat Bielsa’s Whites to promotion in 2019, winning 3-1 at Elland Road in what can only be described as the perfect away performance.

There were the changing room antics when Leeds next visited Carrow Road and the pair battled to avoid relegation from the Premier League two seasons ago, a scrap in which Norwich struck a 91st-minute hammer blow, only for Leeds to take the lead minutes later.

They’ve also played some blinders over the years, including this season. Shane Duffy and Gabriel Sara gave City a 2-0 half-time lead, but Crysencio Summerville ran the second half in a 3-2 win.

These two usually provide entertainment, but predicting who will turn up in this year’s Championship play-offs is as straightforward as breaking into Fort Knox.

If you combine the last 20 matches played by this year’s play-off teams, they’ve won six matches. Norwich are have avoided defeat most often, yet have won one of five.

The most recent meeting at Elland Road highlights how well-organised David Wagner’s side can be. Despite justly losing 1-0 on the night, Leeds weren’t afforded much space.

It felt like Norwich had learnt from the first leg in which they were wide open. There’s never parity between home and away performances, but City must know Leeds struggle against teams that sit in.

On the other hand, that’s a hard sell to home fans in a play-off atmosphere and we’ve seen Norwich develop into a goal-scoring machine at Carrow Road.

Either team could win this game and it could just as easily finish 1-1. However, we’re anticipating goals. Norwich may smell blood and they’d love a lead to defend at Elland Road.

 

Suggested bets

Norwich +0.25 Asian handicap

Both teams to score

Over 2.5 goals