David Prutton’s EFL playoff final predictions – 25th May

Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has given his predictions for this Bank Holiday weekend’s English Football League fixtures.

The former Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Leeds, Swindon, Sheffield Wednesday and England U21 footballer who currently works as a presenter, pundit and commentator has given predictions on THREE big games.

All of them are playoff final matches from the Championship, League One and League Two.

See what he went with below…

NEWPORT v TRANMERE

The score David Prutton has predicted for this game is: 1-2

He said on Sky Sports’ website: “I love what both these teams have done this season. With the greatest of respects, you wouldn’t have backed either to have made it this far back in August, but here we are!

“Tranmere had just come up from the National League and Newport have one of the lowest budgets in the division. Both managers have done an incredible job.

“It should be a great final for the neutral to watch and it will be a finely-balanced affair – as these games so often are. It could well be decided by a mistake from a defender or one real moment of quality from a striker. Tranmere’s main man, James Norwood, has been the standout player in League Two this season and if anyone will provide that moment at Wembley, it will be him.

“Newport have been brilliant in cup competitions under Michael Flynn, but I just-about back Tranmere to nick it.”

 

CHARLTON v SUNDERLAND

The score David Prutton has predicted for this game is: Charlton win on penalties

He said on Sky Sports’ website: “Charlton had a bit of a wobble against Doncaster towards the end, but that is only natural in a game of that magnitude and they still showed incredible resolve to get through it on penalties.

“Other than that, they have been superb in 2019 and are the form side heading into the final. They have players like Lyle Taylor, who will be able to handle the occasion. He scored a big goal for AFC Wimbledon in a play-off final not too long ago to get them promoted.

“The expectation is on Jack Ross and Sunderland, who will want a bit of glory for themselves and to end this season’s documentary with! They didn’t end the regular season in particularly good form but did a terrific job to shut down Portsmouth over two legs. They know how to do the ugly side of the game well, and we could see a bit more of that at Wembley on Sunday.

“All the talk in the build-up to this one will be of the 1998 Division One play-off final, which was one of the great games staged at the old Wembley. I don’t think we will see eight goals here, but it could easily go all the way again to penalties. And if it does I would fancy Charlton to repeat the same job they did 21 years ago.”

 

ASTON VILLA v DERBY

The score David Prutton has predicted for this game is: 0-1

He said on Sky Sports’ website: “Aston Villa are the favourites here, I think that is safe to say. They have already blown away Derby twice this season as well, beating them 4-0 and 3-0 in the league. Frank Lampard’s side are a lot better now, though, and I can’t see that happening again.

“It should be a great game on Monday and there are plenty of subplots at play as well at Wembley. We have also got Lampard versus John Terry, all the young players on loan from the Premier League playing their final games for their clubs, Villa being beaten finalists from last year and Derby trying to finally shake off their tag of a side that always falls away at the wrong time.

“These are such nervy affairs because there is so much at stake, and you can usually feel the tension in the air hours before kick-off. There aren’t often too many goals either. You have to go back to 2012 for the last time both teams scored in the final, and more often than not, it has finished 1-0.

“Both of these sides are much better going forward than in defence, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a solitary goal decided this one again. It could so easily go either way, but I just think because of the way Derby came back against Leeds they will believe they can do it again.”

 

After finding out Prutton’s score predictions for the EFL playoff finals, fans took to give their reaction on them – check out what they had to say on the next page.

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