Play-offs race is a fight for form as rivals battle for final spot

HISTORY suggests the Championship play-offs favour those who enter them in the strongest form.

Gather momentum at the season’s end and promotion could follow. But drop points as nerves take hold and an uphill battle awaits.

That is why this season’s Championship play-offs are harder to call than normal.

None of the semi-finalists have won more than one of their past four games. For Southampton, Leeds, Norwich and West Brom, form is out the window.

That loss of consistency cost Leeds — under boss Daniel Farke (above) — automatic promotion, but they remain, in the eyes of many, favourites to join Leicester and Ipswich as the third team up.

In most seasons, their tally of 90 points would have been enough to go up automatically. Instead, they must prepare diligently for Sunday’s semi-final first-leg against Norwich at Carrow Road. Key players Patrick Bamford and Dan James face late races to be fit.

The Canaries are, perhaps, the outside bet for promotion after finishing sixth. Leeds did the double over them this term, but David Wagner’s side were 14th at the start of December. Over a longer period of time, they have outperformed their rivals.

West Brom host Southampton at The Hawthorns in Sunday’s other semi-final. Carlos Corberan’s side have perhaps overperformed, controlling matches with their possession-based style, yet they face a challenge to make it work against the Saints, who beat them home and away this season.