Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
This is the showdown the Championship play-off final at Wembley was expected to deliver. There were no surprises in the semi-finals, so the teams most tipped for promotion will now compete for a place in the English Premier League.
Sheffield United
Sheffield United looked on course for automatic promotion, but a late-season dip saw them finish third in the standings. Burnley pulled away, showcasing a formidable defensive record through to the end. While Burnley conceded just 16 goals across the regular season, Sheffield United let in 36 — a disparity of 20. However, they showed defensive resilience in the semi-finals against Bristol City, winning both legs 3:0. Such comprehensive victories are not typical for this squad. In fact, in their previous 10 league fixtures, seven of them saw two or fewer goals scored in total.
Sunderland
Sunderland spent much of the campaign firmly in fourth, rarely moving from that spot. They appeared to ease off towards the end, dropping points against lower-ranked sides with little urgency. But once the play-offs began, the team came to life, convincingly eliminating Coventry City in the semi-finals. They claimed a 2:1 away win to gain the upper hand. Despite a 0:1 loss in regular time at the Stadium of Light, a stoppage-time header under the bar from Daniel Ballard in the second half of extra time punched Sunderland’s ticket to Wembley.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland Prediction
The challenges Sunderland faced in the semi-finals suggest they may lack the defensive structure of Sheffield United, though finals can be unpredictable — as seen in the recent FA Cup final. We’re anticipating a low-scoring contest, as Sunderland tend to keep things tight: eight of their last ten regular season matches ended with Total Under 2.5 goals.
