‘Vulnerable and vain’, Leeds United said pressure is on them in Championship play-offs

The pressure will be all on Leeds United when it comes to their Championship play-off semi-final with Norwich City, according to former Canaries striker Chris Sutton.

The two sides go head-to-head over two legs for the right to play the winners of the Southampton v West Bromwich Albion match at Wembley at the end of May. But Sutton says Daniel Farke and Leeds have more at stake and has urged his former side to be brave and take advantage of a difficult end to the season.

Leeds had high hopes of securing an automatic promotion place but saw that slip away with poor form in the final weeks of the season, losing to Blackburn. Coventry, Southampton and QPR and only picked up a point against Watford and Sunderland. That allowed Ipswich to take second place, meaning Leeds now have to negotiate the play-offs.

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While Farke’s men are favorites to win over two legs, Sutton believes the Canaries can even turn the Elland Road faithful against them and use any nerves to their advantage in the second leg, provided they get a positive result from the first leg from Sunday.

“Leeds will try to be expansive but Norwich have to be brave and try to exploit them,” Sutton told Pink Un. “We cannot have two stages of the same approach carried out at Leicester. This is not a time to shirk; it’s about stepping forward and being brave. Everyone knows what’s at stake – go and play.

“There is more pressure on Leeds. I loved playing at Elland Road because of the atmosphere, but that can have a negative effect on the players because they will be nervous after what happened at the end of this season. If Norwich can take the lead in second leg, I think the Leeds fan could come back and be die hard.

“It’s an added opportunity that it’s Daniel Farke. Yes, he’s well-liked and respected in Norfolk, but you still want to put him away – especially after two defeats in the regular campaign. Leeds have a vulnerability. Norwich can go into it knowing that they’re a team that’s been down and they’ve got to cash in on that, they got beaten by QPR, Middlesbrough got three past them, Blackburn won at Elland Road, Coventry beat them, Sunderland got a point against them.

“Why can’t Norwich? That should say, “Why not us? Why not now?”. Farke will be very concerned about their drop in performances. I’m not sure it will be that easy to pick them back up. If you’re a Leeds player, you don’t come into this game with a spring in your step.

“When the game got tough and competitive at the end of the season, they went down and lost their nerve a bit. That’s something Norwich should try to use to their advantage in the play-offs. I really think that Leeds beating Norwich twice this season wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Sutton believes Norwich must win key battles if they are to book their place at Wembley – although he has backed Southampton to join Leicester and Ipswich in the Premier League next season.

“The wide areas will be a key battleground. It will be Jack Stacey against Crysencio Summerville and Sam McCallum or Dimi Giannoulis against Willy Gnoto,” he added. “Norwich have to win those battles if they want to get through the two legs.

“These games are about holding your nerve and the big moments – that’s what Norwich have to do throughout the play-offs. It’s good that Norwich have qualified for the play-offs. But now the aim is promotion. I’m not somebody who thinks he’s in the top six, everything’s fine. That’s got to be the goal.

“I make Southampton favorites for the play-offs. I look at their team and feel they are the strongest. If Leeds click, they could be devastating. Norwich have their own threats. West Brom have shown real consistency. Nobody believes that that’s I don’t think it’s a bad time for Norwich to play Leeds – there will be doubts in their minds, it wouldn’t surprise me if City get over their line.”