The Saints may be down right now, but the last day could present a genuine opportunity for them when they face Leeds.
Southampton will be tremendously unhappy after losing 5-0 at Leicester City on Tuesday night.
They would have been aiming to recover from their defeat to Cardiff City and disrupt the Foxes’ title bid in this game at the King Power Stadium.
However, they capitulated dramatically in the Midlands, surrendering five goals and lowering their morale ahead of the season’s last two games.
| Championship Table (As it stands April 25th) | ||||
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | Leicester City | 44 | 47 | 94 |
| 2 | Leeds United | 44 | 43 | 90 |
| 3 | Ipswich Town | 43 | 32 | 89 |
| 4 | Southampton | 44 | 24 | 84 |
They may have lost several crucial players last summer, including Romeo Lavia and long-serving James Ward-Prowse, but they still have the talent to reach Wembley and win the play-offs.
Still, Russell Martin’s team will not be in the greatest of moods right now.
After losing 5-0 to Sunderland earlier in September, the Saints’ team would have vowed that this defeat at the Stadium of Light would not happen again this season.
However, they were embarrassed in front of the Sky Sports cameras, despite the fact that there isn’t a large quality difference between the two teams when compared to previous Championship matchups this season.
What’s next for Southampton?
Next up, they face Stoke City at home, which should be a home win given how bad the Potters have been for much of the season.
Then, on the last day, they head to Elland Road to face Leeds United, a daunting task given how strong the Whites have been at home this season.
During the 2023/24 season, Daniel Farke’s squad has lost only one home league game, to Blackburn Rovers earlier this month.
It may be claimed that Leeds deserved to win the game, let alone draw it.
The Leeds United game might offer Southampton with genuine impetus.
With only one point separating Leeds and Ipswich Town at this stage, and the Tractor Boys having a game in hand, the promotion battle might come down to the final day.
Leeds will be heavy favourites to win against Queens Park Rangers on the penultimate day of the season, putting a lot of pressure on Kieran McKenna’s team.
However, if Ipswich wins their next two games, Leeds would need to win against the Saints on the final day of the season, which will be a difficult assignment for Farke’s team, even with their strong home record.
They have an excellent home record, but their recent defeat at Elland Road to Blackburn demonstrates that they are not invincible, and the Saints are unlikely to be under a lot of pressure on the final day.
They are unlikely to earn automatic promotion and cannot finish lower than fourth, thus they will be at home for the second leg of the play-off semis.
Martin’s team should be able to play freely and express themselves, allowing them to perform to their full potential.
If they can beat Leeds on the final day, which they are capable of doing despite recent failures, the Saints will be able to prevent the Whites from finishing in the top two and gain a psychological advantage heading into the play-offs.
They will not face Leeds in the play-off semi-finals, but they may meet again in the final.
Leeds may be concerned about a prospective Wembley matchup after the Saints just defeated them.
And this time, they’d be playing on neutral turf, giving Martin’s team a further advantage.
As a result, the final game in West Yorkshire could have a significant impact on who advances to the play-offs.
