West Brom, Hull City will be hoping to repeat Derby County feat v Leeds United

As the Championship season enters its final 90 minutes, the possible outcomes are becoming clearer, with just one match remaining to alter the season’s outcome.

Leicester City has clinched the title, and Ipswich Town is virtually assured of promotion, holding a three-point lead over Leeds United ahead of the final day. Meanwhile, the battle for the last playoff spot continues.

Only two points separate sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion and Hull City, setting the stage for an intense showdown on Saturday. Whichever team secures the final playoff berth will have a solid foundation to build upon as they prepare for the end-of-season playoff battles.

The sixth-placed team will face Leeds in a two-legged tie for a spot in the final at Wembley, a prospect that Leeds fans might approach with apprehension given their past experience five years ago.

The unforgettable match that comes to mind is the 2018/19 playoff semi-final, where Derby County stunned Leeds United to reach the Championship playoff final. Leeds had initially taken a 1-0 lead in the first leg, but the return fixture at Elland Road saw their hopes unravel.

All the latest news coming out of Elland Road regarding Leeds United.

With a slender advantage in the bag, spirits were high in Yorkshire as a return to the Premier League was becoming all the closer, but few inside the grand old stadium could have predicted what was about to unfold on what would turn out to be a night for the ages in LS11.

The eventual outcome would have looked even less likely when Stuart Dallas prodded the hosts in front midway through the first half, with locals likely looking up train fares to the capital such was their confidence of seeing out the tie.

That smugness would have been wiped from their faces just before halftime though, as Jack Marriott pounced on a defensive error to hale the aggregate deficit, before Harry Wilson levelled the tie just seconds after the restart.

With their two-goal advantage vanished, the mood within Elland Road had turned into a cesspit of jangling nerves, and when Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot for a penalty to the visitors, the turnaround was complete.

This was a performance typical of the Bielsa era in Yorkshire; with the Argentine’s chaotic philosophy seeing Leeds score plenty while leaving plenty of opportunities for their opponents to find the net.

While it may have been great for the onlooking neutral, it won’t have done much good for United fans’ heart rates, with plenty of ups and downs expected week in, week out.

This tie was no different, with Dallas netting another to make it 3-3 on aggregate, leaving half an hour with all to play for and both sets of fans holding their breathe.

As Gaetano Berardi saw red, the writing looked to be on the wall for Leeds, and so it proved five minutes before the whistle, as Marriott bagged his second to give County the win, and leave Leeds fans wondering what might have been as another season in the second tier beckoned.

West Bromwich Albion or Hull City can make the most of Leeds United defensive woes

While the upcoming Leeds United team in the playoffs may not be identical, they’ve encountered challenges in keeping opponents at bay recently, having conceded eight goals in their last three matches leading up to the final day of the season.

Following a disappointing 1-0 loss to Blackburn Rovers, Daniel Farke’s squad managed to stay in contention for automatic promotion with a thrilling 4-3 victory against Middlesbrough. However, their hopes were dashed after a crushing 4-0 defeat against Queens Park Rangers in their latest fixture.

With an immediate return to the Premier League within their grasp, this turgid run of form towards the end of the season has seen them throw that chance away, and leaves them needing three more games to try and decide their own fate.

West Brom or Hull will stand in their way when the playoffs get underway next weekend, and if it is the Baggies they will fancy their chances against Farke and his troops after enjoying much success against them during the regular campaign.

With a 1-1 draw at Elland Road coupled with a 1-0 victory at the Hawthorns; Carlos Corberan’s side have as good a record as anyone against the Whites this season, with Albion’s well-drilled defence seeing them keep the attacking talents of Crysencio Summerville [pictured], Georginio Rutter et al. at bay.

The Tigers haven’t had much success lately, managing only a 0-0 draw at home and suffering a 3-1 defeat on the road. However, Liam Rosenior will be eager to face a team like Leeds United, who seem tense and unsettled in their recent matches.

Every Leeds fan will be haunted by memories of the Derby County debacle when the playoffs start, and managing that anxiety will be crucial for their promotion hopes. If they can’t control their nerves, it could benefit their opponents; history shows that Leeds has faltered in the playoffs before. This serves as motivation for either West Brom or Hull to aim for a similar outcome this time around.

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