Norwich on the brink of Premier League return as Leeds lose

LONDON: Norwich are on the brink of a guaranteed return to the English Premier League despite dropping points in a 2-2 draw with Stoke.

Third-placed Leeds failed to take advantage of Championship leaders Norwich’s slip, losing 2-0 away to Brentford in the late kick-off.

Only the top two at the end of the season are guaranteed elevation to English football’s lucrative top flight. The third promotion place goes to the winners of a series of play-off matches between the teams finishing third to sixth.

Monday’s results left Norwich six points clear of Leeds with only a maximum of six available from the final two games of the regular campaign.

Norwich, who need just one more point to be sure of promotion, are also 10 goals better off on goal difference.

“We were of course hoping for a win to make our lives easier but of course success never comes easy,” said Norwich manager Daniel Farke.

“Our players are so greedy to win and I like this, but there is no reason to doubt ourselves and we go again at Blackburn.”

Following a second defeat in four days, Leeds fell three points behind second-placed Sheffield United, who won earlier Monday.

Leeds could yet overhaul their Yorkshire rivals, but their hopes of automatic promotion may have evaporated before they welcome Aston Villa to Elland Road this coming Sunday.

Norwich and Sheffield United – who also have a better goal difference than Marcelo Bielsa’s men – are both in action on Saturday.

At Stoke, Norwich settled into their groove early on with Cubanborn striker Onel Hernandez firing them into the lead in the 24th minute. However, veteran Welsh international defender Ashley Williams levelled two minutes into the second-half with a header at the back post.

The visitors went back in front – shortly after Stoke had missed a great chance to take the lead – as Teemu Pukki scored his 28th league goal of the season with a deft header. But the Canaries lead lasted just two minutes as Thomas Edwards restored parity with a superb strike.

At Griffin Park, a major decision went against Leeds in the 17th minute when, with the match still scoreless, referee Keith Stroud denied them what seemed a clear penalty after Brentford defender Julian Jeanvier up-ended Patrick Bamford inside the box.

West London side Brentford rubbed salt into Leeds’ wounds with a goal a minute before half-time from French striker Neal Maupay, who was played in by Sergi Canos.

Canos doubled Brentford’s lead just after the hour when he lifted the ball over goalkeeper Kiko Casilla after a quick break.