West Brom v Southampton LIVE: Championship play-off result and reaction from semi-final first leg
West Brom 0-0 Southampton: Goalless draw leaves play-off semi-final finely poised after first leg at The Hawthorns
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Your support makes all the difference.West Brom and Southampton played out a goalless draw in the first leg of their Championship play-offs semi-final tie.
Grady Diangana had the game’s best chance with a header from Tom Fellow’s tempting cross but the Baggies forward saw his effort saved smartly by Alex McCarthy.
Up the other end, Flynn Downes saw his effort saved by Alex Palmer after a well-worked move with Joe Aribo down the left side.
A cagey game afforded both sides few efforts on goal but both keepers remained alert to make smart saves after the break, McCarthy denying Diangana’s effort before Ross Stewart saw his deflected effort saved well by Palmer just moments later.
West Brom will now travel to the south coast to take on Southampton in the second leg at St Mary’s Stadium on Friday.
Relive all the action from West Brom vs Southampton below.
Norwich 0-0 Leeds
3 mins: An early Norwich corner is whipped into the near post from Sara but Leeds clear it away.
KICK-OFF! Norwich 0-0 Leeds
1 min: And we’re off and underway as Leeds get the first half started.
Out come the players
Here come both teams into the sunshine as applause rings around the stadium.
We’re almost ready to go here...
Closing in on kick-off here
Just under ten minutes to go and the atmosphere is already at fever pitch inside Carrow Road. What a cracker we should have in store today.
Leeds looking to break play-off hoodoo
Daniel Farke’s side may come into the play-offs as the bookies’ favourites but, historically, they have struggled in the format.
Leeds have never won promotion via the play-offs, with this their sixth appearance. They lost 4-3 on aggregate to Frank Lampard’s Derby County in the 2018-19 semi-final in their most recent.
Can they end that run this year?
Ominous signs for Norwich
Norwich have won just one of their last seven home games against Leeds in all competitions (D2 L4), losing each of the last three in a row. Their meeting at Carrow Road in the regular Championship season finished 3-2 to the Whites.
Can David Wagner’s side turn it around today?
Gorden Sargent speaks to Sky Sports
The American striker has enjoyed a resurgent season in the green and yellow after initially struggling when he first moved to the club in the Premier League.
Here are his thoughts on Norwich’s season:
Farke backs Leeds to shake off poor form
Leeds had been strong challengers for automatic promotion before losing four of their remaining six games and became the first Championship side since Sunderland in 1998 to finish on 90 points and not go straight up.
Farke insisted his players can recover their shaken confidence in time for Sunday’s trip to Norfolk and that they had previously proved up to the challenge of “spotlight” matches throughout the season.
“We are not experienced, but I would not change one player,” the German added. “We have spoken about the the winning mentality that I think we have.
“It always felt during the whole season, when there is a special occasion, we were there.
“When there were spotlight games, we won two times against Leicester and we won two times against Ipswich.
“Yes, more consistency on other days would have been great, but with 90 points you can’t speak too much about lack of consistency.”
Jam-packed day of Championship action
It’s a bonanza of Championship play-off action, with West Brom’s tie against Southampton coming later in the day.
To follow updates of that game, don’t go anywhere as they’ll be coming up right here after full-time at Carrow Road.
Leeds team news
Meanwhile, there’s just one change for Leeds after their 2-1 defeat against Southampton on final day. Gray comes in for Piroe, which could hint at a formation change from Daniel Farke’s side after their disappointing end of the regular season.
Leeds have normally lined up in a 4-2-3-1 but this could be a more balanced 4-3-3 formation today.
Leeds XI: Meslier, Byram, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo, Gruev, Kamara, Gray, Summerville, Gnonto, Rutter
Subs: Darlow, Roberts, Cooper, Cresswell, Shackleton, Anthony, James, Piroe, Joseph.
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