Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has predicted that Leeds United will draw 1-1 against Derby at Elland Road on Wednesday in the second leg of their play-off semi-final.
It would mean that the Whites would progress to the final at Wembley later this month after Marcelo Bielsa’s side won the first leg 1-0 at Pride Park on Saturday.
Although he expects Leeds to progress to the final, Prutton admits that Kemar Roofe’s injury is a blow for the Yorkshire club and that supporters must be feeling really unlucky about the amount of setbacks their players have had this term.
“Kemar Roofe scored the winner at Pride Park, but he’s out of the second leg, and it will have been a frustration for Leeds fans that he’s not been available for so much of the season due to injury. I think he’ll be a big miss,” said Prutton on the Sky Sports website.
“I think it’ll be a feisty game, which is what we all like to see in the play-offs, and I can see Leeds sneaking through.”
OPINION
Leeds should be able to see off Derby on Wednesday night. Bielsa’s side have had the upper-hand against the Rams all season and it would be a shock to see Frank Lampard’s men come from behind at what is bound to be a bouncing Elland Road. Leeds only need to draw after winning the away leg and that means that they can be a bit more withdrawn in their style of play this week and try to score against Derby on the counter-attack. Roofe’s absence will be felt by the Whites but Patrick Bamford will be back from his suspension and there should not be any issues with him after a couple of weeks off. It is going to be quite the occasion at Elland Road on Wednesday and it could be a night that goes down in the history of Leeds United. Lampard will want to stop that from happening but his side does not seem capable of getting a victory at Elland Road, let alone scoring a couple of goals to crank up the pressure.