Iwan Roberts on Norwich v Leeds, Ipswich and Rosenior

I wasn’t surprised they didn’t win the game – I know what St Andrew’s is like, especially when their team were in the position they were in, fighting for their lives.

But did the level of performance by Norwich concern me? Not really, no. It was already job done; whether they were mentally and physically preparing for what's to come this weekend, I don't know. But I don't think losing to Birmingham will define what's going to happen in the next two games.

It's a three-game season now - City have finished 11 points better off than they did last season, bottom half last season and they’re sixth this season and things have been far better. Home form has been unbelievable in the second half of the season. 

The target was never top two, with the teams that were there this year, the target was getting in that top six. It’s been a tough ask, but you finish where you deserve. 

City have no wins in three - I saw the Swansea performance and it was a good performance, one which I thought could have gone either way. Again, I don't think the last three will impact what will happen on Sunday.

I know David Wagner was criticised in some quarters for saying the result at Birmingham didn’t matter – they all matter and that is a hard thing for supporters to take in. He's not having to spend a lot of money to go and support the team, he's not having to travel five hours in a car and spending the best part of £250. It was a daft thing to say, sometimes you’ve got to help yourself as managers. They do matter - but in the context of the season it probably doesn't because the top six was sorted. But it matters to fans, they don't want to see a half-hearted performance, even though it had no impact on where the club finished. 

One thing's for sure, this one matters on Sunday. 

I've seen different people have opinions on how Norwich should approach the game – ‘we know what he’s like, he’ll go all defensive and he'll be negative’.

I think there has got to be an air of caution. You look at the qualities Leeds have, the forward players they've got who can hurt you with the pace they've got, so you can’t just go all guns blazing to try and win it on Sunday. You got to make sure you're still in the tie come next Thursday.

I'm reminded of the League One play-off last year when Peterborough had a 4-0 home advantage against Sheffield Wednesday and it was tie over. But even then I was thinking they had to go to Hillsborough - packed, huge atmosphere. Get that early goal and anything can happen, which it did, and Sheffield Wednesday won on penalties.

Norwich need a lead. In 2002 we beat Wolves 3-1, in 2015, even though it was the second leg, they beat Ipswich 3-1. I think that's the type of scoreline that's needed. I think they need a two-goal advantage to take to Elland Road. Leeds have been unbelievable at home all season, they hadn't been beaten at Elland Road until they lost their penultimate home game against Blackburn. Then they lost another one, to Southampton, so they've lost back-to-back games at Elland Road. And Norwich’s away form hasn't been great, so I do think you need to take any sort of lead into the second leg – two would be brilliant because it gives you a good cushion.

If Norwich go up there with some sort of lead, for the first few minutes, the atmosphere at Elland Road will be electric, but talking hypothetically, if they've not scored within 20 minutes, then that place could be toxic, absolutely toxic. We saw it few years ago, 2019, when Derby went there and beat them.

Leeds have been in the play-offs five times and never won promotion. Those Leeds fans will know all about that – especially the position they have been in this season. From January 1 to April 1 they won 41 points from 15 games. All of a sudden, they've won eight points in the last eight games, one win from their last six. 

They fallen off a cliff massively. And I have said this before - I don't see the team that finished third this year going up. I'm so glad it's not Leicester  - because can you imagine being up there for so long, with that run, and missing out, finishing on 90 points and not getting automatic promotion. It's the first time it's happened in the history of the Championship that three teams have got 90 points.

It is going to take all of Daniel Farke's managerial skills to lift that dressing room – because a few weeks ago it was Leeds and AN Other, Ipswich or Leicester with the form they were in.

Ashley Barnes (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Norwich will be without Ashley Barnes on Sunday. Josh Sargent has had a lot of the headlines because of the goals he’s scored. But I don't think it goes unnoticed all the hard work, all the physical stuff, getting under people’s skin, that Ashley Barnes does. He uses all his guile and experience and it will be missed, especially in a big game like this. He has played so many Premier League games, and when the pressure is cranked on like it will be at 12 on Sunday, he'll be in that dressing room, he'll be in people’s ears, talking to some of the young lads about what to expect.

I look back at that Swansea game when he came on and then went off after 14 minutes because of injury. And if there was any element of doubt about the calf muscle, he should not have been on the bench. Give him another seven days. Top six, for me, was cemented when they won at Preston. I'm not being funny, I would have expected Norwich to have beaten Swansea at Carrow Road without Barnes having to come off the bench.

I just think it was a massive, massive risk to take with such an important player in these pressurised situations.

I still think Norwich go through. I'm not going to contradict myself – whoever finishes third I can't see going up. I think Norwich will go through over two legs. I think they take a lead after Sunday. What that lead will be, I don't know. Leeds kept a lot of clean sheets at the turn of the year. They’ve kept one clean sheet in their last eight. So something's not quite right with the structure of their team and that's why they're in the run they are in.

I am not just saying this because I'm a former Norwich player, I just think when you look at the big picture, everything that has happened in the season, I think Norwich go through to the final.

Hats off

Ipswich celebrate automatic promotion (Image: PA)

Rivalry apart, Ipswich have been unbelievable and deserve all the plaudits they’ve been getting after securing automatic promotion.

They are top scorers in the Championship with 92 goals, after scoring 101 goals last season in League One.

They have a never-say-die mentality and they've done it with a core of the side that got them promoted from League One. I think Kieran McKenna has used the loan market really well.

I’ve seen them a few times live and I've really enjoyed what I have seen. They are fit, energetic and they've been brilliant and they deserve all the credit they're getting.

It doesn’t get any easier, of course - Burnley ran away with the Championship last season, lost just three games, but now look at them. Yes, they have picked up a bit of late until they lost to Newcastle at the weekend, but it’s been a massive struggle for them. Sheffield United were down by Christmas and it looks like Luton are going to join them.

Honest endeavour, desire, hard work – all of those things can take you so far in a certain league. When you get to the top division, when you're playing against the top teams, you need that extra bit of quality as well. I'm sure Ipswich will bring a few in. The hard work isn’t getting there, it’s staying there – as Norwich have found out the last two times they've been there.

Shocked?

Liam Rosenior (Image: PA Images)

I was shocked at the news that Hull had sacked manager Liam Rosenior.

I remember John Toshack saying to a group of us once that the only thing that shocks him in football is that when things happen people are shocked. But I was – I know he has had a bit of money to spend, they pushed the boat out for him this season and they just missed out.

But it was only his first full season as Hull. When he took over they were right in trouble and he guided them away from the relegation zone and they finished comfortably in 15th. In the summer he was allowed to bring a few in on big money. 

Apparently there was a difference of opinion in the direction they wanted to go. What does that mean? It's a strange one.

But sometimes as a manager you have got to think, they have backed me, I have not got them into the play-offs so I have failed. 
He will get another job, though - people will look at the job he's done and the way they played.