Sheffield United Secure Spot in Championship Play-Off Final with Dominant Victory over Bristol City

Sheffield United took a significant step towards returning to the Premier League after defeating Bristol City on Monday, securing their place in the Championship play-off final.

Determined to bounce back immediately into the top flight following their relegation last season, Chris Wilder’s squad triumphed over City with a 3-0 victory in the second leg of the play-off semi-final at Bramall Lane.

Kieffer Moore, scoring his first goal since December 21, put the Blades in front during the first half.

Championship Player of the Year Gustavo Hamer and Callum O’Hare added to the tally after the break, allowing United to achieve a commanding 6-0 aggregate win.

The Blades will now face either Sunderland or Coventry in the final at Wembley on May 24.

Sunderland heads into their semi-final second leg at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday with a 2-1 advantage.

In his second tenure with the Blades, having previously guided them from League One to the Premier League between 2016 and 2019, Wilder is eager to break his boyhood club’s play-off jinx.

Sheffield United holds the unfortunate distinction of failing to secure promotion through the Championship or League One play-offs in nine attempts, the most unsuccessful record among English clubs.

The Yorkshire team also hopes to join last season’s other two relegated Premier League clubs, Leeds and Burnley, who achieved automatic promotion.

Remarkably, the Blades were the third side in Championship history to notch 90 points yet fail to gain automatic promotion.

Bristol City, who finished sixth, ended the season 22 points behind third-placed United in the Championship standings.

The disparity between the teams was apparent as United cruised to a 3-0 win in the first leg at Ashton Gate last Thursday, following a controversial red card shown to City defender Rob Dickie for a foul on Moore.

Historically, no team has ever overturned a three-goal deficit at home in a first leg of the Football League play-offs.

City’s Scott Twine attempted to ignite a dramatic comeback with a near-miss in the early exchanges.

United responded with a chance from Tom Cannon, whose effort from Moore’s setup flew just over the bar.

City began strongly and Jason Knight tested United’s goalkeeper Michael Cooper with a low shot, while Nahki Wells’s long-range effort was saved by Cooper.

However, Wilder’s side soon regained composure and looked dangerous with a deflected shot from Harrison Burrows.

Moore delivered a decisive blow in the 41st minute, rising above the defence in the six-yard box to head home from a corner, despite City keeper Max O’Leary’s protests of obstruction from Cannon.

United extended their lead in the 52nd minute when a clever corner routine ended with Hamer’s shot taking an unfortunate deflection off Ross McCrorie to loop over O’Leary.

With Blades fans chanting about their imminent journey to Wembley, O’Hare added a third goal in the 83rd minute, finishing clinically from Tyrese Campbell’s cross.

Catch up on the match here.