Burnley sealed an immediate return to the Premier League with a composed and clinical performance, sending Turf Moor into raptures and sparking celebrations at Elland Road, where Leeds players gathered to watch events unfold after their dominant 6-0 victory over Stoke.
Sheffield United needed all three points to realistically keep their automatic promotion hopes alive. Manager Chris Wilder opted for a bold two-man forward line with Kieffer Moore and Tom Cannon leading the charge, but despite early pressure, the Blades struggled to break down a resolute Burnley defence marshalled by the ever-reliable James Trafford and Maxime Estève.
Josh Brownhill opened the scoring with his 15th goal of the season, reacting quickest after Michael Cooper parried a thunderous Josh Cullen shot into his path. The midfielder’s ruthless finish into the roof of the net further underlined his stellar campaign.
The Blades found a route back through Gustavo Hamer, whose incisive pass released Cannon. The forward ended a 12-game goal drought with a powerful left-footed strike that finally beat Trafford—only the 15th league goal Burnley have conceded all season.
Parity lasted just five minutes. Anel Ahmedhodzic clipped Hannibal Mejbri in the area, conceding a penalty that Brownhill coolly converted for his 16th of the season—putting him just one behind Norwich’s Borja Sainz and three off Leeds’ Joel Piroe in the Championship Golden Boot race.
Sheffield United continued to press but came up against a defensive unit that has conceded a remarkable average of just 0.34 goals per game. Ben Brereton Diaz had their best chance but was denied by some inspired defensive work from Jaidon Anthony.
Now with promotion assured, Burnley can afford to enjoy their final two fixtures. Should they concede fewer than two goals across those games, they will finish with the best defensive record in English league history—surpassing the legendary 1978–79 Liverpool and 2004–05 Chelsea sides.
Burnley’s manager praised the team’s unwavering commitment:
“The ambition was always to bounce back, and I’m incredibly proud of the lads. This moment is filled with emotion because I’ve witnessed their dedication every step of the way.”
For Wilder’s men, focus now shifts to the play-offs. “It’s a crazy season—we’re the third-best team in a league where 95+ points might not even secure automatic promotion. We go again. Bramall Lane will be rocking.”
