Leeds United and Burnley secured promotion to the Premier League on Monday after Sheffield United’s hopes of automatic qualification were dashed in the penultimate round of the Championship season. Leeds returned to the top flight for the first time since the 2022/23 season with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Stoke City at Elland Road, while Burnley confirmed their immediate comeback by defeating Sheffield United 2-1 at Turf Moor.
Leeds striker Joel Piroe produced a stunning individual performance, scoring four goals to lead Daniel Farke’s side to victory. The Dutch forward, who had not scored since February, netted a hat-trick by the 20th minute and added a fourth before the break. Junior Firpo also found the net, and Wilfried Gnonto completed the rout in the 59th minute.
Farke, who previously managed Norwich City in the Premier League, commended his players for their composure under pressure. “To deliver such an emphatic performance is really amazing and all the credit goes to the boys,” he told the BBC. On Piroe’s return to form, he added, “It’s a bit like shaking a bottle of ketchup — all of a sudden everything comes out and that was a bit the case today.”
Leeds had stumbled through March, winning just once in six matches, raising fears of another play-off disappointment. However, the league’s top scorers with 89 goals have now won four consecutive games and hold 94 points, the same as Burnley.
At Turf Moor, Burnley’s captain Josh Brownhill scored twice to ensure promotion and maintain their remarkable defensive record. The Clarets have conceded only 15 goals this season and are now unbeaten in 31 matches. Brownhill opened the scoring in the 28th minute and converted a penalty just before half-time after Tom Cannon had equalised for Sheffield United. The win ensured that Chris Wilder’s side, now on 86 points, cannot catch the top two and will enter the Championship play-offs.
Burnley celebrated their achievement on the pitch, while Leeds players, watching from Elland Road after their earlier win, erupted in joy as the final whistle blew. “We’ve been written off so many times, people calling us boring. We’ve bored our way to the Premier League,” Brownhill said. “It takes a whole team — it’s not just a back four, a goalkeeper, it takes everybody.”
Sheffield United, who have won only one of their past five games, are guaranteed a third-place finish and now face the challenge of securing promotion through the play-offs.
