Leeds and Burnley promoted back to Premier League
by Danielle de Wolfe · LBCBy Danielle de Wolfe
Leeds and Burnley sealed promotion back to the Premier League after a dramatic Easter Monday in the Sky Bet Championship.
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Daniel Farke’s men were already on the brink of going up after four-goal Joel Piroe was the catalyst for their 6-0 thrashing of Stoke at Elland Road, but they still needed Sheffield United to lose or draw at Burnley in order to seal their spot.
And the Clarets were also able to get the job done, securing their own place in the top flight for next season with a 2-1 victory at Turf Moor.
Junior Firpo and Willy Gnonto also scored in Leeds’ triumph, but it was a closer affair for Burnley, who won thanks to captain Josh Brownhill’s penalty late in the first half.
Brownhill opened the scoring in the 28th minute, but Tom Cannon levelled in the 37th minute before Brownhill had the hosts back in front with a 44th-minute spot kick.
Victory keeps Burnley level on points with Leeds at the top of the table – both have a chance to finish on 100 points – but defeat for United, their fourth in five games, means another trip to the 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.
At the other end of the table, two goals from Mustapha Bundu helped bottom side Plymouth stun play-off hopefuls Coventry 3-1 to claim their third home win in a row.
Cardiff suffered a huge blow to their survival hopes as a superb free-kick from Cameron Brannagan salvaged a 1-1 draw for Oxford and soured Aaron Ramsey’s first game as interim Bluebirds boss.
The remainder of the teams in acute relegation danger all won, Derby earning a much-needed 3-1 victory over West Brom with goals from Ebou Adams, Jerry Yates and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.
The Baggies sacked head coach Tony Mowbray following the defeat.
Hull came from behind to beat fellow strugglers Preston 2-1 with two Joe Gelhardt penalties, while a terrific second-half display gave Luton’s survival hopes a boost with a 3-1 win over play-off chasing Bristol City.
Thelo Aasgaard, Carlton Morris and Isaiah Jones scored Town’s goals.
It all means Plymouth are now level on points with Cardiff at the foot of the table, with Luton and Derby three points better off and Hull two above them.
Colby Bishop’s goal earned Portsmouth a 1-0 win over 10-man Watford to seal their safety.
Middlesbrough’s play-off ambitions were dented by a damaging 2-1 loss at Sheffield Wednesday as substitute Anthony Musaba scrambled home an 89th-minute winner.
Boro are three points behind sixth-placed Coventry and level with Millwall, who beat Norwich 3-1 at The Den thanks to a Mihailo Ivanovic double.
Blackburn are a point further back after Tyrhys Dolan kept alive their play-off hopes in a hard-earned 1-0 win at Sunderland.
Resurgent Swansea made it five consecutive Championship wins by beating QPR 2-1, further boosting Alan Sheehan’s chances of taking permanent charge.