Leeds United and Burnley have secured automatic promotion to the Premier League, capitalizing on a dramatic downturn in form from Sheffield United, who now face the uncertainty of the Championship play-offs.
Leeds made a dominant statement at Elland Road, dismantling Stoke City 6-0. Joel Piroe stole the spotlight with a stunning four-goal performance, reigniting his form after a goal drought since February.
Daniel Farke’s side knew that promotion would be confirmed if Sheffield United failed to defeat Burnley in the evening fixture—and Burnley ensured that with a 2-1 win of their own, led by a brace from captain Josh Brownhill.
Both promoted sides now sit on 94 points, out of reach for third-placed Sheffield United on 86, who have stumbled with just one win in their last five outings.
For Leeds, the promotion is redemption after last season’s heartbreak in the play-off final against Southampton. Their performance against Stoke was a resounding reminder of their firepower, with Junior Firpo and Wilfried Gnonto also getting on the scoresheet alongside Piroe’s haul.
Farke, who previously guided Norwich City to the Premier League, celebrated with his squad post-match—but the real party kicked off once news of Burnley’s win filtered through.
Leeds captain Ethan Ampadu expressed both pride and ambition: “Very proud. A lot of positives,” he told Sky Sports. “The celebrations are amazing. We've worked all year for this. But we’ve got another target—to win the title.”
Leeds had hit a rough patch in March, winning just one of six games and casting doubts over their promotion hopes. But they’ve now won four on the bounce and lead the league in goals scored, with 89.
Burnley’s Grit Seals the Deal
Unlike Leeds’ attacking flair, Burnley’s rise has been built on defensive solidity. They’ve conceded just 15 goals all season—the best in the league—and are now 31 games unbeaten, setting a club record.
Brownhill opened the scoring against Sheffield United in the 28th minute, only for the visitors to equalize through Tom Cannon. But a calmly converted penalty from the Burnley skipper before halftime proved decisive.
“We've been written off so many times. People call us boring—well, we've bored our way to the Premier League,” said Brownhill with a grin.
Manager Scott Parker, who has now earned promotion with three different clubs (Fulham, Bournemouth, and now Burnley), reflected on the journey: “It means everything. We set out at the beginning of the season with one goal—promotion. It’s been a rollercoaster, but the group has been phenomenal.”
Sheffield United, who topped the table just weeks ago, now find themselves needing to navigate the pressure-packed play-offs to join Leeds and Burnley in the top flight.