The FA Cup isn’t the only big time match at Wembley Stadium this weekend. Southampton FC and Leeds United will meet in “the richest game on the planet.” It’s the Promotions Playoff Final, where the winner moves back up to the Premier League, and the loser stays in the Championship for another season.
Championship Play-off Final FYIs
Kickoff: Sun. May 26, 3pm, Wembley Stadium, London, UK
Preview Material for both sides: Team News Starting XI Predictions
Probability for 90 Min: Southampton FC Extra Time Leeds United
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Team News for Both Sides
Let’s start with Saints, who will be missing starting goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu due to the Achilles injury he suffered in April. Meanwhile Stuart Armstrong is also out, with a substantial thigh injury.
Strikers Che Adams and Ross Stewart are racing against the clock to be fit in time.
Elsewhere Flynn Downes, Ryan Manning, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Kyle Walker-Peters were all suspension risks ahead of this game, but they will all be eligible.
Shifting gears to Leeds, Pascal Struijk remains ruled out after groin surgery while Sam Byram missed the second leg against Norwich City, with a hip flexor issue.
Ethan Ampadu, Wilfried Gnonto and Daniel James were all suspension risks here, but all three avoided a tipping point booking that would have made them unavailable.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.