Sheffield United vs Sunderland: Championship Prediction (24.05.2025)

On Saturday, May 24 at 21:00 WIB, the decisive match of the 2024–2025 Championship playoff for promotion to the English Premier League will take place at Wembley Stadium in London, featuring Sheffield United and Sunderland. In the league standings, the teams finished third and fourth respectively. In the playoff semifinals, the Blades defeated Bristol City twice with identical 3–0 scores. The Black Cats won away against Coventry 2–1 and secured a manageable 1–1 draw in the return leg.

In the Sheffield United vs Sunderland matchup, bookmakers’ predictions lean toward the Blades. Their odds to win in regular time are set at 2.42, and to achieve promotion to the Premier League, 1.72. For Sunderland, the same markets are priced at 3.20 and 2.13 respectively. Over 2.5 total goals is valued at 2.50, indicating expectations of a relatively low-scoring match. Both teams to score is priced at 2.06.

Sheffield United

Chris Wilder allowed his team to ease off a bit in April and early May. In the final seven rounds of the Championship, the team suffered four defeats. Losses to Leeds and Burnley raised concern among the fans ahead of the playoffs. However, the first away leg against Bristol City quickly dispelled any doubts. A 3–0 win left no chance for a comeback. It’s worth noting that throughout the season, the Blades were not the most prolific team, averaging just 1.37 goals per game. But their defense was solid, conceding only 0.78 goals on average.

Sunderland

Régis Le Bris’s team posted weaker stats across the board. They were the classic fourth-place side—well behind the top three but safely ahead of the chasing pack. Sunderland notably underperformed in the final five rounds of the Championship, scoring just one goal. In the playoffs against Coventry, they played very cautiously in both legs. That said, it must be acknowledged that playing on the counter, the Black Cats are efficient and capable of creating a few dangerous chances per match.

Head-to-Head and Statistics

Since 2022, the teams have met four times, with Sheffield United winning three of those encounters. However, Sunderland did win the most recent head-to-head match in the Championship at home, with a 2–1 scoreline.

Prediction

Pre-match predictions favor Sheffield, but the high-stakes nature of this final could influence the outcome. It’s also worth noting that in the four recent meetings between these sides, the average number of corners per game was 14.5. We expect a competitive game and recommend a bet on over 9.5 total corners at odds of 1.82.