Key events
“Smug Leeds fan here, I was nervous at 3pm, it all went away after 26 mins,” cheers Jeremy Boyce. “Big one tonight then, a must-win for Wilder’s Blades. This is going to rattle their teeth and nerves. Do they go all out for the win ? Or keep some back for the possible playoffs?”
We all know the team who just miss out on the top two are doomed to fail in the playoffs – even though the statistics probably don’t actually back that up.
More on this afternoon’s action in the Championship and League One…
Both managers are keen to emphasise this is a Game of Football, never mind the bigger picture. “We’ve come here with one ambition, to win a Game of Football,” offers Chris Wilder, looking like he’s just caught the assistant ref eating a Creme Egg.
Scott Parker is slightly more expansive: “We’ve got a Game of Football ahead of us, 90 minutes, which we need to have full focus on. While the rewards are there, it’s irrelevant really. We’ve got to execute, be cool and calm, deliver the commitment, desire and quality we’ve shown all season in a 90-minute Game of Football.”
Full time: Leeds 6-0 Stoke
Job very much done for Daniel Farke’s men, who will seal promotion tonight if Sheffield United fail to win. At the other end, Plymouth’s reward for beating Coventry was watching three of the teams above them – Hull, Luton and Derby – also pull out impressive wins. Cardiff and Oxford drew 1-1, a result that’s no good for either team.
“My thoughts,” offers Phil Grey. “1. If Sheffield United are promoted, their two easiest fixtures next season will probably be home to Burnley and Leeds. This season they lost those two games, 2-0 and 3-1. It feels like life could be really tough for them in the Premier League. Maybe they’d be better off avoiding promotion.
“2. If Burnley are promoted this evening, but are relegated next season, could Scott Parker be Bayern Munich’s next manager?” Hard to disagree on either point.
Chris Wilder starts three traditional strikers – Tom Cannon, Ben Brereton Díaz and Kieffer Moore – in a bid to break down this miserly Burnley defence. That trio come in for Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Rhian Brewster and Tyrese Campbell, with Jack Robinson replacing Rob Holding in central defence.
No rotation required for Scott Parker despite Burnley playing on Good Friday – he’s named the same starting XI that won at Watford three days ago.
Team news
Burnley (4-2-3-1): Trafford; Roberts, Egan-Riley, Esteve, Lucas Pires; Brownhill, Cullen; Edwards, Mejbri, Anthony; Flemming.
Subs: Hladky, Sonne, Worrall, Sarmiento, Redmond, Laurent, Koleosho, Banel, Barnes.
Sheffield United (4-2-3-1): Cooper; Choudhury, Ahmedhodzic, Robinson, Burrows; Peck, Vinicius Souza; Brereton Díaz, Hamer, Cannon; Moore.
Subs: Gilchrist, Adam Davies, McCallum, Holding, Brewster, O’Hare, Rak-Sakyi, Campbell, Seriki.
Leeds fans might have expected a nervous afternoon, with victory against not-quite-safe Stoke required at Elland Road. Instead, the hosts went 4-0 up after 26 minutes, and now lead 6-0 – with Joel Piroe scoring four times to end his scoring drought in style. All of which means they are going up today unless Sheffield United win at Turf Moor tonight.
Preamble
One year and one day ago, Vincent Kompany’s Burnley won 4-1 at Bramall Lane to push their hosts towards the Premier League trapdoor, and move to within three points of Nottingham Forest in the race for survival. A year is a very long time in football.
Burnley eventually joined Sheffield United in heading back to the Championship, triggering a series of events that led Kompany to Bayern Munich and, later on, Thomas Tuchel to the England job. Scott Parker took over at Turf Moor and has transformed Burnley into a defensive powerhouse, conceding just 14 goals in 43 games this season.
As for United, they stuck with Chris Wilder despite a disastrous start to his second stint with the club. Both boards’ decisions looked questionable, but while fellow parachuters Luton tumbled down the second-tier table, Burnley and Sheffield United have been locked in a season-long promotion battle with Leeds (and, for a time, Sunderland).
That was until a recent blip from the Blades, a three-game losing streak that allowed their rivals breathing space. With Leeds 5-0 up at home to Stoke, victory for the hosts tonight will see both Burnley and Leeds secure their Premier League places for next season. There’s still time, though, for Wilder to spoil the party – or at least delay it.
