Leeds v Southampton LIVE: Championship play-off final result and reaction as Saints dramatically promoted

After just one season away, they’re back in the Premier League, a play-off final victory at Wembley seeing the despair of 12 months ago turn to joy now, optimism fuelled once more that this time it can be different, this time they can remain among the elite and become a sustainable, sustained, top-flight side.

Just one thing to decide: the actual team to which that opening paragraph can be applied. Leeds United or Southampton, either way it still chimes true – two of last year’s fallen trio, one will join another in bouncing straight back up.

Leicester City are already there and, just as last year’s three promoted sides succumbed to an immediate drop, last term’s three relegated names have gone the distance to reclaim their spot among England’s 20 finest. Ipswich Town, of course, are the outlier here. They were in neither the Premier League nor the Championship last year, the story of the Tractor Boys and Kieran McKenna one which is infrequently repeated and impressive in its own right – but also a total one-off in the story of year-to-year promotions and relegations.

The knock-on of that is that only one of Saints or Leeds can earn the right to go straight back up now while the loser will face another arduous second-tier campaign; Leeds ended the regular season in third, one place and three points above their Wembley foes, but Saints triumphed in a final-day meeting between the teams, 2-1 at Elland Road.

Read Karl Matchett’s full analysis ahead of today’s play-off final:

Southampton are not thought to have any fresh fitness concerns. Stuart Armstrong and Gavin Bazunu remain out.

Predicted Southampton XI: McCarthy; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Aribo, Downes, Smallbone; Brooks, Armstrong, Fraser.

Patrick Bamford will miss the final having not recovered sufficiently from his knee injury to feature. Sam Byram could be fit to start though, after returning to training ahead of the game.

Predicted Leeds XI: Meslier; Gray, Ampadu, Rodon, Firpo; Gruev, Kamara; Gnonto, Rutter, Summerville; Piroe

Leeds vs Southampton is due to kick off at 3pm BST on Sunday 26 May at Wembley Stadium.

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the Championship play-off final live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football, with coverage on the latter channel from 2pm BST. Subscribers can stream the game via Sky Go.

If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.

A place in the Premier League is on the line as Leeds United and Southampton meet in the Championship play-off final.

The third and fourth-placed finishers came through their semi-finals in relative comfort, each recording strong home second-leg victories after securing 0-0 draws away from home in the first leg, to book their place in this decider.

The pair are seeking to make an immediate return to the top flight having missed out to Leicester and Ipswich in the chase for automatic promotion places.

For which fervent fanbase will it be a famous day at Wembley? Here’s everything you need to know:

Good afternoon and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of the Championship play-off final between Leeds and Southampton.

Both sides were relegated from the Premier League last season but the winner of ‘football’s richest game’ at Wembley will earn an immediate return to the promised land.

Stick with us for full live coverage