Leeds United go to East Anglia on Sunday to face Daniel Farke’s previous side Norwich City in the opening leg of the Championship play-offs.
The English Football League announced today that the Championship play-off final will begin at 3pm on Sunday, May 26. There is one more Premier League spot available, with Leeds United, Southampton, West Bromwich Albion, and Norwich City competing to join Leicester City and Ipswich in the top level.
United travel to Carrow Road for the first leg on Sunday. The second round takes place at Elland Road on Thursday, May 16.
It will be the first time Whites manager Daniel Farke has overseen an end-of-season mini campaign. The German, who will be without striker Patrick Bamford for both legs of the semi-finals, told the media: “I believe in my players.” This is not about me. It’s not about playing chess with the opposing manager. In such a time-sensitive game, the players make the final decisions. Managers are there to help, encourage, and prepare them in the best way possible. This game will not be won or lost by spectacular choices on the sidelines. It’s completely up to the players.
Farke is a Championship promotion specialist, having led the Canaries to the title twice before. His squad is the overwhelming favourite with bookies to reach the final, having defeated Norwich twice during the regular season.
“It’s a new competition,” said Farke, who hopes to become the first United manager to win the play-offs in six years. “Two wins versus Norwich are meaningless. We had 46 games to earn a spot in the playoffs. That’s nice, but it’s a fresh competition, so we have to focus on the present rather than the past.”
