Championship play-off final Bet Builder tips: Goals look likely at Wembley
- Southampton were third-highest scorers in division (87 goals), six more than Leeds
- There have been at least three goals in four of Leeds’ last five matches
- The Saints won both league games against Leeds this season
Both Leeds and Southampton suffered the heartache of relegation from the Premier League last season, but they have earned the chance of an immediate return, so the stakes are high for Sunday' Championship play-off final.
Leeds will be full of confidence after they brushed Norwich aside 4-0 in the second leg of their semi-final, but the Saints will also be full of confidence, having beaten West Brom 3-1 in their last game, while they also saw the Whites off in both league games this season.
We have put together a three-selection Bet Builder for what is always one of the highlights of the English football season.
Leeds vs Southampton (Sunday, 3pm)
Bet 1: Over 2.5 Goals
There is so much at stake in the Championship play-off final that they can turn into nervy affairs with little action, but there looks a strong chance that this year’s game will not follow that pattern.
Only the two automatically promoted clubs in the second tier scored more goals than Southampton's 87, with Leeds next best with 81, so the best tactic for both teams to adopt looks to be for them to go on the front foot.
Both league games produced more than two goals — the Saints won 3-1 at St Mary’s and 2-1 at Elland Road — so it is worth chancing that the pattern will continue under the Wembley arch.
Bet 2: Joel Piroe to score at any time
Leeds were inspired in the second leg of their semi-final against Norwich, when the Canaries were unable to live with their pace and fell three goals behind before half-time.
One player who has risen to the demands of the play-offs is Joel Piroe, who scored in the 2-1 defeat Daniel Farke’s side suffered on the south coast while he was also on target in their play-off win at Elland Road last time out.
The Dutch forward looks set to rise to the occasion once again and make it an afternoon to remember.
Bet 3: Jan Bednarek to be shown a card
The latest meeting between the teams generated seven yellow cards and there looks a decent chance that Sunday’s meeting will also be a spicy affair.
Southampton defender Jan Bednarek will be looking to play a key role for Poland in the forthcoming Euros, but for now we can expect nothing but an intense performance from the central defender as he hopes to help the Saints back to the top tier.
Bednarek picked up 12 yellow cards in the regular Championship season, including in both meetings with Leeds, and there looks a strong chance he will fall foul of the referee again.
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