Sheffield United March Confidently into Championship Play-Off Final Following Dominant Victory Over Bristol City

Sheffield United edged closer to a return to the Premier League after comfortably defeating Bristol City on Monday, securing their spot in the Championship play-off final.

With hopes of bouncing back to the top flight following last season’s relegation, Chris Wilder’s team triumphed 3-0 in the second leg of the play-off semi-final at Bramall Lane.

Kieffer Moore found the net for the first time since December 21, giving the Blades the lead in the first half.

With Championship Player of the Year Gustavo Hamer and Callum O’Hare adding to the scoreline after the break, United cruised to a 6-0 aggregate victory.

The Blades are set to face either Sunderland or Coventry in the final at Wembley on May 24.

Sunderland possesses a 2-1 advantage as they head into their semi-final second leg at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday.

Wilder, in his second tenure with the Blades after guiding them from League One to the Premier League between 2016 and 2019, is keen to finally break his boyhood club’s play-off jinx.

United have a dismal record in play-off promotions, having failed in nine attempts across the Championship and League One—making it the worst in English football history.

The Yorkshire side also aims to become the third of last season’s relegated Premier League teams to return to the top tier, following Leeds and Burnley’s automatic promotions.

Remarkably, the Blades are only the third team in Championship history to achieve 90 points without securing automatic promotion.

City, who finished sixth, were left trailing 22 points behind United, who claimed third place in the Championship standings.

The disparity between the sides was clear when United swept to a 3-0 victory in the first leg at Ashton Gate, in part due to a controversial red card shown to City defender Rob Dickie for a foul on Moore.

Historically, no team in the Football League play-offs has ever managed to recover from a three-goal deficit at home in a first leg.

City midfielder Scott Twine attempted to ignite a historic comeback, missing narrowly in the opening minutes.

United replied quickly through Tom Cannon, whose effort from Moore’s assist just cleared the crossbar.

City was in command for the first 20 minutes, with Jason Knight challenging Michael Cooper with a low effort before Nahki Wells struck from range, only to be thwarted by the United keeper.

However, Wilder’s men managed to regain control and threatened when Harrison Burrows’ deflected shot nearly found the back of the net.

Wales international Moore delivered the decisive blow in the 41st minute, rising to head home from a corner despite an unsuccessful appeal from City keeper Max O’Leary that he had been impeded by Cannon.

United doubled their advantage in the 52nd minute with a clever corner routine, culminating in Hamer’s effort taking a crucial deflection off Ross McCrorie, looping over O’Leary into the net.

With the Blades’ supporters singing in delight about their imminent trip to Wembley, O’Hare added a final flourish with a sharp finish from Tyrese Campbell’s cross in the 83rd minute.

Find out more about the match here.