Burnley beat Sheffield United to secure promotion (Picture: Getty)
Leeds United and Burnley secured promotion to the Premier League on a dramatic day of Championship action on Easter Monday.
Leeds thrashed Stoke City 6-0 earlier in the day – Joel Piroe scoring four of the goals – to move one step closer to automatic promotion.
The emphatic victory ensured Leeds’ status as a Premier League club would be confirmed providing Sheffield United did not beat Burnley in the late kick-off.
Sheffield United travelled to Turf Moor hoping to keep their automation promotion hopes alive and deny Leeds and Burnley early promotion parties.
But Burnley won a tense and fiery match 2-1 to secure both their own and Leeds United’s promotion to the English top-flight.
Leeds and Burnley are level on 94 points with two games remaining and will now battle to become Championship winners.
The results means Sheffield United have to settle for a place in the play-offs despite amassing 86 points from 44 games this season.
Leeds United’s return to the Premier League was confirmed (Picture: Getty)
As things stand they would face Coventry City in the play-offs, with Sunderland potentially taking on Bristol City for a place in the final.
But just six points separate sixth-placed Coventry and West Brom down in 10th, meaning a number of clubs could yet gatecrash the play-offs places.
Josh Brownhill gave Burnley the lead in Saturday’s huge Championship clash but Sheffield United equalised shortly after through Thomas Cannon.
Championship table
Leeds United, 94 points (promoted)
Burnley, 94 (promoted)
Sheffield United, 86
Sunderland, 76
Bristol City, 67
Coventry City, 66
Middlesbrough, 63
Millwall, 63
Blackburn Rovers, 62
West Brom, 60
Brownhill restored Burnley’s lead on the stroke of half-time from the penalty spot and Scott Parker’s formidable defence – which has conceded just 15 goals all season – kept the visitors at bay in the second half.
Clarets captain Brownhill told Sky Sports: ‘I’m speechless. All that hard work this season.
‘We’ve been written off so many times, people calling us boring. We’ve bored our way to the Premier League.
Burnley are back in the Premier League (Picture: Getty)
‘It takes a whole team; it’s not just a back four, a goal keeper, it takes everybody.
‘I don’t think a lot of the lads will sleep. I’m so buzzing for the lads that haven’t played Premier League football.’
Ex-Burnley defender David Unsworth added on BBC Radio Lancashire: ‘I’m absolutely delighted for the club.
😍 WE ARE GOING UP!!! pic.twitter.com/abetGtf9hO— Leeds United (@LUFC) April 21, 2025
‘They’ve gone under the radar, Leeds and Sheffield United for so long were the dominant two.
‘Their defensive record has been outstanding. Every single man out there today has done a brilliant job. They’ve achieved something they’ll never forget.
‘They’ve created rocking chair memories for themselves. What they have done today is something they will never ever forget.
‘It’s very difficult to bounce back from the Premier League at the first time of asking and they did it with two games to spare.
‘We’ve got to think about what success looks like for Scott Parker next season. If he survives it’s a successful season. That’s how you build the club, that’s what Sean Dyche did.
‘I hope he’s backed in the transfer market and given the money he deserves. He’s got to be in the running for manager of the season.’
Leeds United finished third in the Championship last season with 90 points before losing to Southampton in the play-off final.
Burnley, meanwhile, were relegated from the Premier League last season after amassing just 24 points under Vincent Kompany.
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