Football – Burnley beat Sheffield United 2-1 to seal automatic promotion to the Premier League yesterday with the result also sending Championship leaders Leeds United up alongside them.
Leeds had earlier thrashed Stoke City 6-0 to go top of the Championship on 94 points with two matches remaining and needed Burnley to then not lose to third-placed Sheffield United to make sure they would finish in the top two.
Burnley duly obliged with Josh Brownhill scoring twice at Turf Moor either side of Tom Cannon’s equaliser as they extended their unbeaten league run to 31 games.
Scott Parker’s side, who were relegated last season, joined Leeds on 94 points to leave Sheffield United on 86 and now facing the prospect of trying to join them via the playoffs.
“I’m speechless. All that hard work this season. We’ve been written off so many times, people calling us boring, but we’ve bored our way to the Premier League again,” Brownhill said.
“The feeling is absolutely incredible. I don’t think a lot of the lads will sleep.”
Parker’s side have conceded only 15 goals in 44 games and he has now achieved promotion to the Premier League with three clubs having also taken Fulham and Bournemouth up.
Joel Piroe scored a hat-trick in the opening 20 minutes for Leeds at a raucous Elland Road and added another before halftime as the hosts stormed 5-0 ahead by the interval.
Leeds are heading back to the top flight after being relegated in 2023 after three seasons in the Premier League.
“Very proud. A lot of positives. The celebrations are amazing. We’ve worked all year for this,” Leeds United captain Ethan Ampadu said. “Not to put a dampener on it, we’ve still got another target we want to achieve, so we’re going to enjoy tonight and then we’re going to try and do the full thing.”
Fourth-placed Sunderland are guaranteed a playoff place despite a 1-0 home defeat by Blackburn Rovers who kept alive their slim hopes of a top-six finish.
Fifth-placed Bristol City went down 3-1 at relegation battlers Luton Town, but remained above Coventry City who also lost 3-1 to bottom club Plymouth Argyle.
Seventh-placed Middlesbrough will be kicking themselves as they failed to capitalise on the defeats for Bristol and Coventry as they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Sheffield Wednesday despite taking an early lead.
With two games remaining Bristol City have 67 points, Coventry have 66 and Middlesbrough have 63.
Millwall and Blackburn, with 63 and 62 points respectively, are also still involved in the playoff picture.
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