Worrying Premier League gulf Leeds United must overcome amid Southampton warning

Former Leeds United defender Stephen Warnock is rooting for his old club tonight as they face a date with destiny at Elland Road. The Whites are just 90 minutes away from the play-off final, with victory against Norwich City tonight sending Daniel Farke's side through to Wembley.

Tonight's victors were will face Southampton or West Bromwich Albion in the capital on May 26, with Warnock admitting it's a close call on who joins Leicester City and Ipswich Town in next season's Premier League.

No side has come into the play-offs in any sort of form, with Leeds seeing the chance of an automatic promotion spot slipping away in the final games of the season. However, as an ex-Leeds man, Warnock is backing Farke's men to get the job done - although Southampton remain a big threat.

READ MORE: At least six Leeds United players could bid final goodbyes to Elland Road vs Norwich

READ MORE: Leeds United could see sentimental Farke calls and Elland Road play-off first vs Norwich

“Usually you’d say the club with momentum will get it, but you couldn’t say any of the four play-off clubs have carried any significant momentum into the play-offs," he said. “We all thought for most of the season that Southampton would be the ones that might just sneak into the automatic promotion spots, but they had a dip in form at the wrong time. Leeds looked incredible from the turn of the year but then the international break just came at the wrong time for them and halted that momentum.

“But if they can turn it on, and if I had to say anyone of the four in it, I think Southampton could edge it. I want to say Leeds but I just look at them at the moment and I’m not sure. Bamford is missing for the return leg against Norwich, whereas Southampton have so many goals spread across the team. Obviously, being ex-Leeds I’m rooting for Leeds but Southampton are the ones I’m most worried about because they are so good in front of goal.”

One worrying factor is how last season's promoted sides have struggled in the Premier League. Sheffield United and Burnley are already condemned to relegation, while Luton Town need a final-day miracle to avoid sharing their fate. It's something that concerns Warnock and a fact Leeds will have to address should they clinch promotion.

“What we’re seeing in recent times – and especially this season – is that the gulf between the Championship and the Premier League is huge," he told NewBettingOffers.co.uk. "It is quite worrying. What we don’t want to see is clubs coming up then going straight back down, like we did with Burnley, Luton Town and Sheffield United.

“We need to see a change, otherwise the promotion picture will become very boring and everyone will start to expect the three clubs getting promoted to be the same three clubs getting relegated the season after. Currently, that is a big worry.

“It will be difficult – look at what we saw last season with Burnley. They had the form coming into the new Premier League season, with the most points in the Championship, and we all saw what happened to all three promoted clubs this season.”