Burnley 2 Sheffield United 1: Leeds United and Clarets promoted to Premier League as Blades consigned to Championship play-offs — Yorkshire Post 21/4/25
By Leon Wobschall
SHEFFIELD United’s quest for automatic promotion to the
Premier League is over following defeat at Turf Moor - on a definitive day of
Championship action.
Chris Wilder’s side lost out 2-1 at Burnley - whose
elevation to the top flight was confirmed courtesy of a first-half brace from
Josh Brownhill – alongside Leeds United, who thumped Stoke City 6-0.
The pair will now battle it out for the title in the
remaining two games.
The Blades, meanwhile, have been consigned to the
second-tier play-offs after paying the price for a poor run of just one win in
five matches.
They will finish the regular season in third place and face
the team who finish in sixth spot in the play-off semi-finals next month.
As it stands, that team is Coventry City, although others,
including Bristol City, Middlesbrough or Millwall could yet finish there.
What is certain is that United will travel away in the first
leg on Thursday, May 8 (8pm kick-off), with the second instalment being at
Bramall Lane on Monday, May 12 (8pm).
Burnley extended their remarkable unbeaten league sequence
to 31 matches - with the run stretching back to November 3 - amid ecstatic
scenes of celebration in East Lancashire, on the 11th anniversary of the
Clarets clinching promotion to the top flight on home soil in the 2013-14
campaign.
It also saw Scott Parker achieve the milestone feat of three
promotions from the Championship in the space of six years with separate clubs
following earlier accomplishments with Bournemouth and Fulham.
An eventful first half saw the hosts lead, thanks to the
exploits of one-time Barnsley loanee Brownhill.
He broke the deadlock with a resounding close-range finish
on 28 minutes, blasting home a rebound.
Marcus Edwards’ right-wing cross was headed clear by Kieffer
Moore, but it deflected into the path of Josh Cullen.
His drive was blocked by Michael Cooper, but it fell kindly
for the lurking Brownhill, who was never going to miss.
United were level within 10 minutes when £10m signing Tom
Cannon picked the perfect time to break his Blades’ duck - while netting his
first league goal in 2025 - blasting high into the roof of the net after a
clever pass from Gus Hamer in the 37th minute.
It was his maiden strike in 13 Blades appearances.
Anel Ahmedhodzic survived one penalty shout in the next
talking point after a faint tug on the shirt of Zian Flemming, but was not so
fortunate on the stroke of half-time.
He stuck out a leg to bring down Hannibal Mejbri and it was
a stonewall spot-kick, which Brownhill duly converted, sending Cooper the wrong
way.
On the restart, Ben Brereton Diaz, given plenty of stick for
his Blackburn connections by home fans, fired a good chance over with the
Blades throwing on attacking options in the second period.
Burnley, as has been their way this term, managed the game
consummately well, with Maxime Esteve magnificent at the back in particular.