Sheffield United vs Sunderland LIVE!
Sunderland are celebrating clinching the most dramatic promotion back to the Premier League. The Black Cats trailed Sheffield United for much of Saturday’s Championship play-off final at Wembley, with Chris Wilder’s Blades looking firmly on course to secure an instant return to the top-flight to join champions Leeds and runners-up Burnley.
However, Anthony Patterson made two pivotal saves and Harrison Burrows’ strike was ruled out before Eliezer Mayenda struck with less than 15 minutes to play to galvanise Sunderland. Regis Le Bris’ men then got a last-gasp stoppage-time winner from teenage winger Tom Watson, who coolly picked out the bottom corner to give his boyhood club a parting gift worth an astonishing £220million in the so-called ‘richest game in football’.
It was quite a last touch for the club for academy graduate Watson, who is joining Brighton in the summer in a £10m transfer. Follow Sheffield United vs Sunderland reaction after a thrilling Championship play-off final live below!
Sheffield United vs Sunderland highlights
- GOAL! Sunderland sub Watson scores stoppage-time winner
- GOAL! Mayenda fires home late Sunderland equaliser
- NO GOAL! Brilliant Burrows effort ruled out
- GOAL! Campbell finishes off Blades counter-attack
- Sunderland lose O'Nien to early shoulder injury
Brilliant scenes of celebration from players and fans of Sunderland, who are in absolute dreamland.
What a way to win any final, let alone one of this importance - their second play-off success in three years.
They will be partying long into the night in London!
For Sheffield United, they now have the outright record - clear of Leeds and Reading - for most play-off final defeats ever with five.
This is the 10th time they have made the EFL play-offs and never won any of them.
Their wait for a win at Wembley will extend beyond a century as they miss out on an instant return to the big time.
Sheffield United 1-2 Sunderland
17:08 , George FloodFull-time
SUNDERLAND HAVE BEEN PROMOTED TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE!
Young duo Eliezer Mayenda and Tom Watson strike late to put them back in the top-flight for the first time since 2017.
Sheffield United look absolutely stunned. What a finish.
What a parting gift too from Watson, who is joining Brighton in a £10m transfer in the summer.
It’s only worth £220m!
Sheffield United 1-2 Sunderland
17:0597 mins: Frantic stuff at the death at Wembley with Cirkin into the book as stunned Sheffield United try to hit back.
Femi Seriki is on for the injured Ahmedhodzic.
Sunderland send on another defender in Leo Hjelde for Mayenda.
GOAL! Sheffield United 1-2 Sunderland | Tom Watson 95'
17:0095 mins: SUNDERLAND HAVE SURELY WON IT DEEP INTO STOPPAGE TIME!
Utter scenes at Wembley as Moore loses the ball cheaply for Sheffield United and teenage substitute Watson picks it up before calmly picking his spot with a fine low finish into the bottom corner.
Talk about composure! Wow.
Sheffield United 1-1 Sunderland
16:57 , George Flood90 mins: The physios are sent on to treat Ahmedhodzic as we tick into SEVEN minutes of stoppage time at Wembley.
Extra time is feeling inevitable at the moment.
Sheffield United 1-1 Sunderland
16:5789 mins: Another long Robinson throw into the Sunderland box is cleared before play is immediately halted with two Sheffield United players down.
Looked like an accidental clash of heads involving Anel Ahmedhodzic and Cannon, who has only just come on.
Sheffield United 1-1 Sunderland
16:5588 mins: Brereton Diaz is going straight down the tunnel less than 20 minutes after coming on after being hurt in that meaty challenge from Hume that took plenty of man as well as ball.
Tom Cannon is coming on for the Blades, as is Tom Davies.
Peck also off.
Sheffield United 1-1 Sunderland
16:52 , George Flood85 mins: A thunderous but fair challenge by Trai Hume leaves Brereton Diaz in a heap on the touchline.
He certainly felt that.
Sheffield United 1-1 Sunderland
16:51 , George Flood83 mins: The tricky Roberts has had a huge impact off the bench for Sunderland here and he’s now dragged back by a combination of Brereton Diaz and Sydie Peck.
Brereton Diaz into the book.
Sheffield United 1-1 Sunderland
16:4779 mins: Sheffield United were mostly comfortable but took their foot off the gas and now look really rattled all of a sudden.
Confident Sunderland are pouring forward and another effort is whistled over.
Now a brief break in play for a flat ball, of all things...
GOAL! Sheffield United 1-1 Sunderland | Eliezer Mayenda 76'
16:42 , George Flood76 mins: Level with less than 15 minutes to play at Wembley!
It’s almost out of nothing from Sunderland, winning the battle in midfield before Roberts sets up Mayenda.
One touch from the 20-year-old Spaniard, who then rifles emphatically into the roof of the net.
Game on!
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
16:39 , George Flood72 mins: More changes now coming from Sunderland with time ticking away at Wembley.
Le Bris replaces Mundle and captain Dan Neil with Wilson Isidor and Tom Watson.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
16:38 , George Flood70 mins: Hamer is hurt here for Sheffield United and won’t be able to continue.
The Championship Player of the Season makes way for Ben Brereton Diaz.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
16:36 , George Flood68 mins: A horror moment for Sunderland left-back Cirkin as he fluffs an attempted header back to his goalkeeper as he lets it bounce and then can’t keep Brooks away from it.
But Patterson is there to deny Brooks with his foot and Sunderland scramble clear before O’Hare can latch onto the rebound.
Not as eye-catching a stop as the one to thwart Moore’s header early on, but just as important.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
16:32 , George Flood65 mins: Another corner forced by Sunderland, but substitute Roberts is then well off target.
The story of their second half so far.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
16:31 , George Flood64 mins: Brewster and Campbell make way for O’Hare and Brooks.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
16:28 , George Flood61 mins: Cooper’s turn again now to make another commanding take inside his crowded penalty area.
Sunderland still cannot find any quality with that final ball, despite an improved second-half display so far.
They haven’t tested the Blades ‘keeper all afternoon really.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
16:27 , George Flood60 mins: Mepham now with an important sliding challenge on Campbell inside the Sunderland box.
Looks like Callum O’Hare and Andre Brooks will be on for the Blades shortly.
A winding long throw-in from the right is held by Patterson.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
16:24 , George Flood58 mins: The first yellow card of the afternoon is dished out to Brewster for swiping down Mundle.
Sunderland’s deep delivery into the box is confidently claimed by Cooper.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
16:24 , George Flood57 mins: Another hopeful and pacey Sunderland attack breaks down before Le Bris does indeed look to his bench for the first time today.
Patrick Roberts, a regular starter who had been struggling with a calf problem, replaces the 17-year-old Rigg.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
16:2255 mins: Choudhury is giving Sunderland absolutely nothing down that left-hand side.
Really solid defending by the Leicester loanee, who is a midfielder by trade.
A bit of a frenetic pace to the game at the moment as the ball continues to fly quickly from end to end.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
16:19 , George Flood52 mins: Almost another blistering break from Sheffield United, with more great centre-forward play by Moore.
It ends up a fine sliding challenge by Rigg on Brewster to thwart the considerable danger just inside the box.
No chance of a penalty - referee Kavanagh was right there and could not have had a better view.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
16:1850 mins: A very overhit cross from Mundle there as Sunderland continue very much on the front foot early in this second half, in search of an equaliser.
Sheffield United unusually look content to sit in and potentially strike again on the counter-attack.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
16:16 , George Flood49 mins: Much brighter, quicker and more purposeful football from Sunderland now and their fans are responding.
Sheffield United continue to defend diligently though, Choudhury in particular.
A corner is cleared by the Blades, as are the flurry of follow-up crosses into the box.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
16:14 , George Flood47 mins: Bright moments at both ends early in this second half, though that’s such a waste from Rigg.
A real lack of quality from Sunderland still in key areas this afternoon.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
16:11Back underway at Wembley, where Sheffield United are 45 minutes away from an instant return to the Premier League.
No changes from either manager at the break, but I can’t imagine that Le Bris will wait too much longer if Sunderland’s fortunes don’t quickly improve.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
15:55 , George FloodHalf-time
The Blades deservedly lead at the break at Wembley after Tyrese Campbell's fine breakaway goal, with a superb second from Harrison Burrows rightly ruled out.
Regis Le Bris needs to change something here quickly - Wilson Isidor to come on soon?
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
15:54 , George Flood52 mins: Le Fee’s cross from the left cannons into Campbell, but that was outside the box and didn’t look to strike his hand anyway.
Nothing for VAR to look at.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
15:53 , George Flood50 mins: Improving Sunderland certainly aren’t lacking in determination as the interval approaches, but they just can’t find that final ball at the moment as Rigg’s tame effort is easily held by Cooper.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
15:51 , George Flood49 mins: Sunderland are in the ascendancy in first-half stoppage time and Robinson makes a strong intervention to thwart Mayenda inside the box.
Mayenda’s threat is negated again soon afterwards by some crafty defending by Souza.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
15:4948 mins: Rigg and Mayenda are trying their best to conjure something for Sunderland here, with Le Fee’s corner from the right well cleared by Brewster.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
15:48 , George Flood44 mins: EIGHT minutes of first-half stoppage time have been signalled at Wembley after that early O’Nien injury.
Really flat again at the moment from Sunderland.
Sheffield United look entirely comfortable as things stand, even if the lead does only remain 1-0 after that Burrows strike was chalked off.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
15:46 , George Flood40 mins: The television cameras pan to Luke O’Nien, who is now sat on the Sunderland bench after that early dislocated shoulder.
Good to see he’s okay.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
15:4538 mins: Here come Sheffield United again with wonderful centre-forward play by the experienced Moore, whose inventive cross struck with the outside of his boot is too hard for his team-mates in the box.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
15:39 , George Flood36 mins: NO GOAL!
It is ruled out as Kavanagh makes the announcement to the crowd.
Right decision. A huge let-off for Sunderland, who would have been in big, big trouble with that.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
15:39 , George Flood35 mins: Wembley holds its breath as VAR John Brooks sends referee Chris Kavanagh to the pitchside monitor.
This will surely be ruled out...
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
15:37 , George Flood34 mins: Sheffield United earn another corner that is cleared, before Harrison Burrows fires in a superb low volley to double the lead.
But VAR will look at this, with Patterson potentially unsighted by Vinicius Souza standing in an offside position in front of him.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
15:35 , George Flood30 mins: This is a bit better from Sunderland now as Rigg has a shot blocked inside the box and Jack Robinson prevents the corner.
Now here comes Romaine Mundle down the left, but he’s eventually crowded out.
Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland
15:3127 mins: A quick response from Sunderland as Mayenda is picked out in the box but his header is well off target.
Sky Sports report that O’Nien suffered a dislocated shoulder and has had it put back in.
GOAL! Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland | Tyrese Campbell 25'
15:27 , George Flood25 mins: A devastating counter-attack gives the Blades the lead at Wembley!
Sheffield United race forward after clearing that poor Sunderland corner and Hamer gets free before squaring for Campbell to lift coolly over Patterson.
A lovely finish and one half of Wembley erupts.
Sheffield United 0-0 Sunderland
15:26 , George Flood23 mins: Wonderful from Mayenda, who holds the ball up nicely for Sunderland and then suddenly spins and glides into the box to earn another corner.
Hume goes short with Rigg, but Sheffield United quickly clear and counter...
Sheffield United 0-0 Sunderland
15:24 , George Flood22 mins: Patterson comes racing to the edge of his box to hoof clear another long ball intended for the run of Campbell.
The offside flag is up anyway.
Sheffield United 0-0 Sunderland
15:22 , George Flood19 mins: Sheffield United just overcook a long ball forward aimed in behind for the run of Campbell, starting up front again today with Moore and Brewster out wide.
Sunderland need to watch that very closely.
Still all very sloppy and loose from the nervy Black Cats as another pass goes astray and into touch, much to the delight of the Blades fans.
Sheffield United 0-0 Sunderland
15:20 , George Flood15 mins: Sheffield United’s players are queuing up to have a go when they get the ball down in the box.
Sunderland now get forward and force their first corner, but it’s easily claimed by Blades goalkeeper Michael Cooper.
Sheffield United 0-0 Sunderland
15:1612 mins: Sunderland have just managed to take the sting out of this fast start from Sheffield United now, getting their foot on the ball at last.
Leicester loanee Hamza Choudhury - operating at right-back again for the Blades this afternoon - is all over Cirkin near the byline, but commits a pressure-relieving foul.
Sheffield United 0-0 Sunderland
15:12 , George Flood8 mins: Sunderland, who played with 10 men briefly, need to get a grip here as they are really struggling.
The Blades are pouring through them at will, with one effort inside the box blocked before they are saved again by the offside flag.
Sheffield United 0-0 Sunderland
15:11 , George Flood6 mins: Looks like a painful shoulder problem for O’Nien and he won’t continue.
Such a loss for Sunderland already as Mepham does indeed enter the fray.
Sheffield United 0-0 Sunderland
15:074 mins: Concern for Sunderland here with O’Nien still down and receiving treatment after hurting himself in the aftermath of that Moore chance.
This would be an enormous blow for the Black Cats if he were to be lost already.
Chris Mepham is out warming up.
Oxygen is out and the stretcher.
Sheffield United 0-0 Sunderland
15:052 mins: What a start from Sheffield United - Sunderland are all over the place early on and have given the ball away multiple times already.
Tyrese Campbell puts Anthony Patterson under immediate pressure before the Black Cats ‘keeper then gets down low to his left to make an absolutely remarkable one-handed save from a powerful Kieffer Moore header teed up accurately by Gustavo Hamer.
What a stop.
Luke O’Nien and Dennis Cirkin couldn’t get near him.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
15:02 , George FloodUnderway in the 'richest game in football', worth around £220m to the winners.
Who will hold their nerve to return to the Premier League?
The Blades are the favourites, but haven't won at Wembley in a century.
What an atmosphere!
Vinnie Jones - who is in attendance at Wembley today - leads a video playing ahead of kick-off for the Every Minute Matters campaign.
Sunderland are all in white this afternoon, by the way.
Almost time for kick-off...
A grand sense of occasion at Wembley as always as the players line up for the pre-match formalities ahead of the national anthem.
You can feel the tension already...
Here come the teams
14:55Here come the teams at a raucous Wembley, flags and scarves waving with both sides of the home of English football bathed in red and white.
It’s Sheffield United who will be in their home strips today, having gotten the choice as the team that finished highest in the regular season.
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris gives little away over his team selection in a short pre-match interview with Sky Sports at Wembley.
He says the Black Cats have practically a fully-fit squad, meaning he has plenty of options to change things up if needed during the game.
Final preparations
14:41Final preparations at Wembley, where the atmosphere is already absolutely electric.
This could be among the loudest play-off finals we’ve heard in years...
Roberts on bench as Sunderland make two changes
14:29Sunderland also show two changes from their stunning last-gasp extra-time win over Coventry in the semi-finals.
Patrick Roberts is only named on the bench after a calf injury, but Romaine Mundle is fit to start out wide.
Teenage star Chris Rigg also comes into the midfield as Regis Le Bris changes shape and drops a forward to the bench in Wilson Isidor.
Chris Wilder reverses two second-leg changes
14:21 , George FloodSheffield United boss Chris Wilder reverses the two changes he made for the semi-final second-leg win over Bristol City with a comfortable 3-0 lead.
Tyrese Campbell and Rhian Brewster replace Andre Brooks and Tom Cannon in attack.
It’s the same team that lined up for the first leg at Ashton Gate, with Ben Brereton Diaz, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Femi Seriki all back on the bench.
Still no start for Callum O’Hare as Jamie Shackleton and Chelsea loanee Alfie Gilchrist miss out on the squad.
Sunderland lineup
14:11 , George FloodSunderland XI: Patterson, Hume, Ballard, O’Nien, Cirkin, Mundle, Neil, Bellingham, Rigg, Le Fee, Mayenda
Subs: Moore, Browne, Roberts, Isidor, Abdul Samed, Mepham, Hjelde, Watson, Jones
Sheffield United lineup
14:08Sheffield United XI: Cooper, Choudhury, Ahmedhodzic, Robinson, Burrows, Peck, Souza, Hamer, Campbell, Brewster, Moore
Subs: A Davies, McCallum, Holding, O'Hare, Brereton Diaz, T Davies, Cannon, Brooks, Seriki
Surveying the scene
13:50 , George FloodThe players and managers are out surveying the pre-match scene as fans from both very well-supported clubs continue to stream down a packed Wembley Way.
Official team news and lineups coming up very shortly...
Eyes on the prize
13:34The trophy on offer at Wembley this afternoon, sparkling despite the gloomy conditions in north-west London.
Southampton are the current holders of course having beaten Leeds 1-0 in this fixture 12 months ago courtesy of Adam Armstrong’s first-half goal, though the less said about their fortunes since then the better...
Sunderland fans take over London again before Wembley return
13:19As they do every time they come down for a game at Wembley, Sunderland fans travelled down in their thousands and certainly made their presence felt in London on Friday.
Fantastic support once again from the Black Cats supporters, who are determined to make this another occasion to remember after ending their four-year exile from the Championship here in 2022 after previously experiencing the pain of back-to-back relegations to the third tier.
Sheffield United finally out to end long play-off hoodoo
13:06 , George FloodThe early scenes at Wembley Stadium, where Sunderland achieved their only play-off final victory to date - in League One - against Wycombe back in 2022.
They lost the 1989/90 Division Two final, but ended up being promoted anyway after Swindon were demoted.
And who can forget the all-time classic that was the Division One final in 1997/98, when Sunderland - having beaten Sheffield United to get there - lost on penalties to Charlton after a stunning 4-4 draw.
Sheffield United, meanwhile, are the most hard-luck story in play-off history, failing to achieve promotion via that route from any division in nine previous attempts.
They are tied with Leeds and Reading for the most lost finals with four, the last coming in League One on spot-kicks against Huddersfield in 2012.
Remarkably, the 1925 FA Cup final against Cardiff was the last time the Blades won a game at Wembley.
Will that all change today?
Sheffield United vs Sunderland prediction
12:55 , George FloodBoth teams will be soaring with confidence after their respective semi-final wins, Sunderland with the last-gasp euphoria of their late, late triumph over Coventry and Sheffield United with the sheer ruthlessness with which they dismissed Bristol City 6-0 on aggregate.
It is no mean feat considering that Sunderland went into the play-offs in atrocious form, winless in six and losers of five in a row, while the Blades had to deal with the disappointment of falling a distant 10 points behind the top two in the end having been at the summit of the table themselves just weeks prior before falling away alarmingly.
Neither team has a good record in the play-offs, but Sunderland do at least have a Wembley win to their name in recent years and no one has experienced more defeats in the end-of-season lottery than Sheffield United.
However, they look very strong under Chris Wilder and should have enough this time to get over the line and secure another season of top-flight football, though as ever it will be tense and nervy.
Sheffield United to win, 2-1.
Sunderland team news
12:51 , George FloodSunderland have had lingering doubts over winger Romaine Mundle, who returned as a substitute in the last-gasp second-leg win over Coventry at the Stadium of Light but has struggled to train since.
Fellow attacker Patrick Roberts has also been dealing with a calf problem of late.
Jayden Danns and Ian Poveda are out, but the likes of Chris Rigg and Chris Mepham will be pushing to earn a place back in Regis Le Bris’ starting XI.
Sheffield United team news
12:45 , George FloodSheffield United remain without the likes of Rhys Norrington-Davies, Ollie Arblaster and Harry Souttar for today’s high-stakes trip to Wembley.
However, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Ben Brereton Diaz and Femi Seriki are all fit again after injury.
Callum O’Hare will be pushing to start after scoring off the bench in both semi-final legs against Bristol City, while Rhian Brewster and Tyrese Campbell will also be hoping to return after being replaced by Tom Cannon and Andre Brooks for the return game at Bramall Lane.
Why is the play-off final kicking off a minute late?
12:40 , George FloodLike last season, today’s Championship play-off final is kicking off a minute late as part of the ‘Every Minute Matters’ campaign, a collaboration between the EFL, Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation aimed at encouraging fans to learn CPR.
Tomorrow’s League One play-off final between London rivals Charlton and Leyton Orient is at 1:01pm, while the League Two edition between AFC Wimbledon and Walsall on Monday begins at 3:01pm.
Last season’s campaign saw over 270,000 football fans learn CPR via the British Heart Foundation’s online tool, RevivR.
After the campaign’s successful launch, this season’s enrollment target has been increased to 360,000.
Read more about the initiative here
How to watch Sheffield United vs Sunderland
12:37 , George FloodTV channel: In the UK, today’s game will be televised live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football, with coverage beginning at 2pm.
Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland live
12:33 , George FloodGood afternoon and welcome to Standard Sport’s live coverage of the 2024/25 Championship play-off final.
It’s Sheffield United vs Sunderland at Wembley today in a bid to join Leeds and Burnley in earning promotion to the Premier League.
Kick-off is at the slightly unusual time of 3:01pm BST, so stay tuned for match build-up, breaking team news and live updates from the so-called richest game in football.
