Matt Murray has said that Leeds United will be too strong and that the Elland Road fans can help them beat Derby County in the second leg of the sides’ Championship play-off semi-final.
Kemar Roofe’s goal at Pride Park handed the Whites a 1-0 advantage in the tie, with the reverse leg to be played at Elland Road on Wednesday evening.
Speaking on talkSPORT‘s Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast [Tuesday, 9.30am], Murray said that Leeds will progress to Wembley.
“With Leeds winning the away leg and then going back to Elland Road, you do fancy Leeds,” the former Wolves man said.
“Credit Bielsa, I was concerned for Leeds because I was thinking mentally they’d be thinking ‘hang on, we’ve thrown it away here’.
“They’ve got their energy levels back up, Bielsa’s got them back at it. Earlier in the season, sometimes Leeds were absolutely outstanding and credit them.
“They went there and I think the penalty incident was a big, big moment. But I think with the Elland Road fans behind them, the energy they’ve got, I do think it will be an Aston Villa – Leeds final.
“Credit to Leeds. It’ll be a very tough game but if Derby can go and get an early goal, then suddenly Leeds and the home fans might get a bit nervous, but if they start well I think it will be too much for Frank Lampard’s young side.”
OPINION
Leeds are definitely the favourites in most fans’ eyes to go through. Nicking the one-goal lead away from home was so vital and it could be one of the biggest goals of their season. The Whites completely blew their chances of automatic promotion after earning just one point from a possible 12 in the final stages of the regular season, but now they have a great chance to forget all that and work their way into a play-off final. With the home fans behind Leeds on Wednesday evening, there will be a raucous atmosphere inside Elland Road and the Whites faithful will be doing all they can to stir up tension and errors from the visitors. As for Derby, it is important that they stay in the game in the first 15 minutes, settle in without conceding a goal and work their way into the contest from there. This will be a captivating second leg.