Leeds - Ipswich

Leeds United

Tight affairs tend to be played out in the first leg of playoff ties, but there were hopes that both Leeds and Norwich, two attack-minded teams, would provide the Carrow Road faithful with an entertaining contest last Sunday.

However, both sides cancelled each other out and lacked the cutting edge required to take a valuable advantage into the second leg. Just 13 shots were registered in the entire match, which also had an xG of just 0.76; only four Championship fixtures have had fewer shots and a lower xG this season.

Daniel Farke would presumably have been the happier of the two managers to come away from Norfolk with a draw, considering that his Leeds side came up against a Norwich outfit that have not lost on home soil since November 5. The German will still have concerns about his team's recent form, though.

Indeed, the Whites enter Thursday's contest having won only one of their last seven matches and have failed to score in four of those, including two of their last three games at Elland Road.

Leeds have come out on top in their last two home meetings with Norwich, though, including a 1-0 win in January, so there is reason to be optimistic as they endeavour to reach an EFL playoff final for the fourth time and first time since the League One showpiece in 2007-08.

Norwich

Norwich also find themselves in a difficult spell of form as they have only won two of their last eight matches since the beginning of April, failing to win any of their last four in the process. They have also come out on top in just four of their last 10 away fixtures.

A first-leg draw with Leeds on home soil was considered by some quarters of the Canaries fanbase as a disappointment, but manager David Wagner has insisted that they have not 'automatically handed an advantage' to the Whites, who will host the return fixture at Elland Road.

Norwich's recent head-to-head record with Leeds leaves little to be desired, as they have won just two of their last 12 meetings with the Whites across all competitions. Their most recent triumph was at Elland Road, though, in February 2019 under the tutelage of current Leeds boss Farke, who steered the Canaries to a 3-1 win in the Championship en route to winning the title.

In what is their third appearance in an EFL playoff, Norwich are seeking to reach the final at Wembley Stadium for the third time, having previously done so in 2002 and 2015. Success on Thursday would see the Canaries become only the sixth team to reach the final with a 100% record having won at least three playoff semi-finals.

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