Championship: Burnley 2 (Brownhill 28, 44) Sheffield United 1 (Cannon 37)
Burnley captain Josh Brownhill sent the Clarets back into the Premier League with both goals in a 2-1 win over Sheffield United that also saw Leeds promoted and left the Blades relying on the play-offs.
Scott Parker made it three promotions with three different clubs in the space of six seasons as Burnley extended their unbeaten league run to a club-record 31 games, bouncing straight back to the Premier League just as they did after their last two relegations in 2015 and 2022.
Brownhill poked the Clarets in front after Josh Cullen’s 28th-minute shot was saved.
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There would not be a Burnley clean sheet to equal Port Vale’s all-time record of 30 in a single season as Tom Cannon quickly replied for the Blades, but Brownhill had the hosts back in front from the penalty spot before half-time, the midfielder’s 16th goal of the season.
Victory keeps Burnley level with Leeds at the top of the table, both with a chance to finish on 100 points, but defeat for United, their fourth in five games, means another trip to the dreaded play-offs.
The Blades have been in the promotion play-offs on eight previous occasions, reaching four finals, but are yet to make it up via that route.
Chris Wilder’s men arrived in east Lancashire knowing the only way to stay in the automatic promotion fight was to become the first visiting team to win at Turf Moor all season, and they certainly had no lack of intent.
Just 14 seconds in, Cannon broke the offside trap and pulled the ball back for Kieffer Moore to test James Trafford, with Harrison Burrows sending another chance over.
But Burnley found their rhythm. Marcus Edwards left Vinicius Souza in a heap before seeing his angled shot saved by Michael Cooper, and two minutes later the transformative January signing, on loan from Sporting, was involved in Burnley’s opener.
After Gustavo Hamer upended Brownhill, Burnley shifted the free-kick wide. Edwards cut in and saw his effort headed away by Ben Brereton Diaz. But the former Blackburn man’s clearance struck CJ Egan-Riley and it fell for Cullen. Cooper saved but Brownhill could not miss on the rebound.
United still looked dangerous on the break and levelled in the 37th minute. Hamer slipped the ball down the left channel and Cannon broke free of Connor Roberts before firing into the roof of the net.
Burnley were screaming for a penalty in the 40th minute when Zian Flemming went over softly under a challenge from Anel Ahmedhodzic. There was nothing in it, but two minutes later there was no argument as the Bosnia defender felled Hannibal Mejbri, with Brownhill sending Cooper the wrong way.
United did enough to keep nerves jangling with a number of dangerous attacks in the second half as Burnley failed to exercise their usual control.
Wild misses from Brereton Diaz and Hamer were met with delight by the home fans but, as United kept pumping balls into the box, they had to endure six minutes of time added on – during which Sam McCallum headed wide for United – before their promotion party could start.
Leeds United 6 (Piroe 6, 8, 20, 41, Firpo 26, Gnonto 59) Stoke City 0
Joel Piroe struck four goals as rampant Leeds thrashed Stoke 6-0 at Elland Road earlier in the day.
Piroe completed Leeds’ fastest-ever league hat-trick with strikes in the sixth, eighth and 20th minutes and added his fourth before half-time after Junior Firpo had put Daniel Farke’s side 4-0 up in 26 minutes.
Willy Gnonto headed Leeds’ sixth in the second half as they cruised to a fourth straight league win and their 17th at home this season.
Leeds, who have two games remaining, are guaranteed a top-flight return after a two-year absence as Sheffield United failed to win at Burnley in a 5.30pm kick-off.
The Whites, beaten by Southampton in last season’s play-off final, were roared on from the opening whistle by an expectant Elland Road crowd and pounced on two Stoke errors to lead 2-0 inside eight minutes.
Gnonto collected a loose clearance and slipped in Manor Solomon, whose square pass back inside was turned home by Piroe.
Stoke had barely gathered their breath and two minutes later goalkeeper Viktor Johansson was picking the ball out of his net again.
Jayden Bogle robbed Bae Jun-ho on the left edge of the area and from the Leeds right-back’s ball inside, Piroe took a touch before burying a low finish.
Leeds, who demolished Cardiff 7-0 at Elland Road in February, were rampant and it got even better for them and Piroe in particular in the 20th minute when he lashed a rebound high into the net after Johansson had parried Gnonto’s shot.
Bogle brilliantly set up the fourth goal as Leeds killed the contest in the 26th minute, tricking his way past his marker at the by-line and crossing for Firpo to convert despite mis-hitting his finish.
Piroe notched his fourth – his 19th league goal of the season – four minutes before the break after Gnonto’s effort had rebounded off a post and hit the striker in the face.
There was no let-up from Leeds in the second half as Gnonto headed home Solomon’s cross to make it 6-0 in the 59th minute.
