Championship Play-off Final Wembley Showdown: Will Sheffield United Finally Score And Win in the Play-off Final? | OneFootball

Championship Play-off final week has finally arrived. Sheffield United face Sunderland in what’s often described as the richest game in English football, but both enter Wembley Stadium in different fashion.

Sheffield United’s Journey to the Championship Play-off Final

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND – MAY 3: Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder applauds the fans after the Sky Bet Championship match between Sheffield United FC and Blackburn Rovers FC at Bramall Lane on May 3, 2025 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by Ed Sykes/Getty Images)

At one point towards the back end of this season, the Blades were top of the league and favourites to win the Championship. However, an awful week in early April saw them slip down to third after losing three-straight games.

Eventually, Chris Wilder’s men would suffer the final nail in the coffin to their automatic promotion hopes against Burnley, and many may have feared the worst regarding the mentality of the squad. But they managed to recover extremely well and they picked up a win and a draw heading into the Championship play-off semi-finals to steady the ship.

In some ways, the ending to United’s regular season, I’d like to say, could be a blessing in disguise – let me explain. Since the team news came out at Turf Moor, the Blades have gone with a 4-4-2/4-2-2-2 shape. We’ve played more direct into the front men, and into the space behind opposition full-backs. And because of the pace in the attack and the ability to send it up to Kieffer Moore to flick-on or hold and protect, United’s counterattack has become sharper.

Had the Blades taken their automatic promotion chances to the penultimate game, I’m not sure if Wilder would’ve continued with this direct and offensive-minded approach.

It was this system that allowed Sheffield United to completely bully Bristol City across the semi-final tie, winning 3-0 in both the first and second leg, meaning they became the first club in Championship play-off history to win a tie by a six-goal margin. And it could’ve been a lot worse in truth, with the Blades having a questionable goal disallowed early in the first leg.

Sunderland’s Journey to the Championship Play-off Final

Sunderland should really thank themselves lucky that their early season form was so strong because Regis Le Bris men, although comfortably in fourth, would lose five games in a row to enter the play-off semi-finals.

As mentioned several weeks ago, in recent years form does not mean anything when entering the play-offs. Nottingham Forest, Luton Town and Southampton, the last three play-off winners, have all had mixed form pre their successful play-off campaigns.

After the Black Cats stumbled their way into to post-season, they had to weather a large storm at Coventry City for the first leg, where they would come out on top after the Sky Blues gift-wrapped them a goal late on to take a lead to the Stadium of Light.

Frank Lampard’s side made Sunderland work for it in the second leg and forced them to extra-time after being on top for much of the normal time. Just as everyone thought the tie would be decided by the nerve-racking penalty shootout, Dan Ballard connected with an inswinging corner at the front post in the 122nd minute to send Sunderland to Wembley.

The Blades’ Terrible Play-off Final Record

Sheffield United have been in play-off finals four times in the past, and of course, they’ve failed every time.

The first defeat came in the 1996/97 First Division play-offs when they would narrowly lose 1-0 to Crystal Palace at the old Wembley. David Hopkin found the top right corner from around 25 yards out with 89 minutes on the clock.

The 2002/03 First Division play-off final had to be played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff as they would work on the new Wembley Stadium. A change of venue wouldn’t change United’s fortunes as Wolverhampton Wanderers smashed the Blades 3-0.

2008/09 was the last time United were in the Championship play-off final. They lost 1-0 to Burnley where Wade Elliott perfectly placed an inside-of-the-right-foot shot perfectly into the top left corner from around 25 yards out.

The 2011/12 League One play-off final perhaps sums up the Blades’ play-off final luck. After a largely boring 90 minutes and extra-time, United fell to defeat against Huddersfield Town in the penalty shootout, where Steve Simonsen saved a couple of penalties early on which the Blades were unable to capitalise on. Eventually, he became the villain as he smashed his sudden-death penalty over the bar.

Four appearances, four defeats, five goals conceded and zero goals scored.

Current Sheffield United Players That Have Scored at Wembley Stadium

With the quality that Sheffield United have in their squad, surely they will finally get their first-ever play-off final goal on Saturday afternoon. They’ve already broken a few records in this play-offs, winning an away first-leg for the first time, and setting the record for the highest margin of victory in the Championship play-offs. Maybe the stars have aligned…

After filling readers with misery, it’s only fair to show you some bangers that United’s current players have scored at Wembley Stadium.

Gustavo Hamer (Coventry City vs Luton Town – Championship Play-off Final)

Harrison Burrows Brace (Peterborough United vs Wycombe Wanderers – Bristol Street Motors Trophy Final)