'Leeds United look a shadow of themselves' - How the national media reacted to Southampton loss

Leeds United head into the Championship play-offs on the back of a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Southampton. First half strikes from Adam Armstrong and Will Smallbone proved decisive as the Whites lost for only the second time at Elland Road this season.

Joel Piroe bagged his 13th goal of the season but Southampton deservedly left West Yorkshire with maximum points to halt a three-match losing streak. United went into the clash knowing they had to win and Ipswich Town had to lose to all-but relegated Huddersfield to snatch second spot.

But the Tractor Boys beat the Terriers 2-0 to secure automatic promotion and condemn United to the play-offs. The Whites will play Daniel Farke's former club Norwich City in the semi-finals.

Here is what the national media made of United's final match of the 2023/24 season.

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Daily Mail - Aadam Patel

As Ipswich Town celebrated their return to the Premier League 200 miles away in East Anglia, a flat Leeds United inside Elland Road were left to wonder what might have been.

Defeat against Southampton was ultimately inconsequential as Ipswich did their job against Huddersfield but having gone unbeaten at home all season till mid-April, Leeds have now lost their last two at Elland Road.

The damning reality is that after a stunning start to 2024, a run of four points in their last six league games has cost them automatic promotion.

Worryingly for Daniel Farke, there is little time for regrets because his side have lost their way at the worst possible time. A two-legged semi-final against Norwich, his former side, awaits and right now, Leeds look a shadow of themselves.

To return to the Premier League at the first time of asking, they will have to do something they have never done before and secure promotion through the play-offs.

Perennially, this is club that fails at that stage with five failed attempts across two divisions. 1987, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2019 all exist in the collection of painful memories.

So close and yet so far. If a story sums up their misfortune, then it is that of Angus Kinnear, their current sporting director, removing a bulk of tickets from his boot for the 2019 Championship play-off final and putting them into the hands of a Derby County official outside Elland Road after Derby’s semi-final win.

Not since 1987 have Leeds won a play-off match at Elland Road.

Daily Star - Will Schofield

Leeds United have never done things the easy way.

When the clock struck midday on Saturday Daniel Farke's side were still dreaming of the Premier League - but it was a dream that required them to wish upon a star.

At Elland Road, Leeds had to beat Southampton while hoping results elsewhere went their way. Ipswich, on the other hand, welcomed an underfiring Huddersfield, desperate for a win to keep them in the Championship.

The tone of the afternoon was set over 200 miles away from Elland Road when Wes Burns rolled the ball past Chris Maxwell to put one foot in the Premier League for Ipswich. There was an audible moan in West Yorkshire, as the news filtered through.

Play-offs again for the Peacocks, who hardly have the best record when it comes to football's version of the lottery.

Sky Sports

Leeds' faint automatic promotion hopes were emphatically snuffed out on the Sky Bet Championship's final day as they slipped to a 2-1 home defeat to Southampton.

Saints striker Adam Armstrong's opener was cancelled out by Joel Piroe before Will Smallbone regained the lead for the visitors, who were worthy winners at Elland Road.

Leeds needed a win in their last game of the regular season and a home defeat for Ipswich against all-but relegated Huddersfield, but neither materialised and Daniel Farke's side must lift themselves out of a downward spiral in time for the play-offs.

They ended up six points adrift of Ipswich, who beat Huddersfield 2-0, after a fourth defeat in six matches and became the first second tier side since Sunderland in 1998 to finish on 90 points and not go up automatically.

For impressive Southampton, who finished fourth, it was a timely return to form after three straight defeats and the two sides could yet meet again at Wembley later this month in the play-off final. For that to happen, Leeds must see off Norwich and Saints need to beat West Brom.