Ex-Leeds United and Norwich City man makes second leg pressure claim amid Archie Gray observation

Former Leeds United man Jon Newsome believes Norwich City will be the side under the most pressure heading into Thursday's all or nothing play-off decider. The two sides played out a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their semi-final on Sunday afternoon with Leeds and Norwich appearing reluctant to take the risks required to break the deadlock.

It was a cagey performance from both teams, who were perhaps feeling the effect of nerves given the magnitude of the occasion. For Norwich, though, who were the home side on Sunday, the draw seemed to represent a missed opportunity as they failed to trouble the Whites, give them something to think about and make the most of their home advantage ahead of the return leg at Elland Road.

As such, Leeds are the favourites to progress to the Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium and given United's impressive record at home, where they were unbeaten before the final weeks of the campaign, Newsome believes Norwich will be the side under the most pressure in the second leg.

“It’s a shoot out at Elland Road on Thursday night," Newsome, who had a spell at Carrow Road as a player following his title-winning exploits at Leeds, told BBC Radio Leeds. “Guess what, I have been looking at the Norwich players going over to the far side to thank the Norwich supporters. There is a lot more pressure on them than there is on Leeds United ahead of Thursday.”

If Leeds are to progress, the Whites will need key individuals to rise to the occasion and one man who could have a big say on the contest is 18-year-old Archie Gray. Gray played in a slightly more attacking role at Carrow Road and had his moments as he ran his blood to water in the East Anglian sunshine.

Follow Farke’s men as they chase Championship promotion with the Yorkshire Evening Post’s free Leeds United emails. After the game Daniel Farke could be seen to make a beeline for the youngster and spent some time talking things over on the field of play, no doubt offering some words of advice ahead of the second leg.

“He is 18, you want to install as much information into him as you can because, again, a really good performance. He drifted in and out of the game, but he was absolutely full of running,” Newsome added on the radio after full-time. “He has worked tirelessly for the side. You can see with his body language now, can’t you, he is not happy, something has been said, he is a little bit disjointed, a bit disgruntled about stuff.”

The winner of Thursday night's game will face either Southampton or West Bromwich Albion, who also drew 0-0 in their first leg tie at The Hawthorns, at the national stadium with a place in the Premier League on the line.