Both Championship playoff semi-final first-leg matches ended in a goalless draw on Sunday, leaving it all to play for in the race to see who will join Leicester City and Ipswich Town as the final promoted team to the 2024/25 Premier League.
Championship playoff semi-finals
Sunday 12 May
Norwich 0-0 Leeds
West Brom 0-0 Southampton
Thursday 16 May
20:00 BST Leeds v Norwich
Friday 17 May
20:00 BST Southampton v West Brom
Norwich 0-0 Leeds: What happened
While there was nothing to split the two teams in the day's early match, Leeds perhaps have a slight advantage over Norwich due to the second leg on Thursday being played at their home ground of Elland Road.
Leeds beat Norwich in both fixtures of the regular season, finishing third in the table, 17 points above their opponents, who were sixth. Leeds were the first side since 1998 to win 90+ points and not go up automatically, while they went into this match on a run of only two wins from their final eight league matches.
Leeds largely controlled the game but chances were at a premium. Leeds had an early penalty appeal turned down after Borja Sainz brought down Wilfried Gnonto, but the referee gave no foul and it was uncertain if the challenge was in or out of the box.
The visitors then had the ball in the back of the net through left-back Junior Firpo, but striker Georginio Rutter had already been flagged offside for his part in the build-up.
In the second half, Leeds' Crysencio Summerville, the Championship Player of the Season, had a shot saved by Angus Gunn, before Sam Byram had a great opportunity at the same end, only to mishit his shot.
Both teams seemed to settle for a draw but Norwich will be sweating on the fitness of Josh Sargent, who has scored 16 goals this season, after he went off with an apparent knock.
West Brom 0-0 Southampton: What happened
Southampton can also consider themselves to have the upper hand heading into the second leg after earning a draw at The Hawthorns.
Saints are aiming for an immediate return to the Premier League. They finished fourth in the regular 2023/24 season, 12 points above fifth-placed West Brom, and they won both league matches against the Baggies.
But Southampton were without 16-goal striker Che Adams, and were indebted to goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, who made two brilliant stops, one in each half, to deny Grady Diangana a goal, the first being a terrific stop on the goalline from a header.
West Brom goalkeeper Alex Palmer also made two important saves, the first from Flynn Downes early on before a superb reaction stop with his legs from Ross Stewart's long-range deflected shot.
Unlike the early match, the tempo was kept high as both teams sought a late winner, but one did not come, leaving the tie finely poised.
