The Clarets face off against the Blades for promotion to the Premier League.
How they got here:
Burnley- The Clarets had a successful season going 14-5-4 in the Championship. They finished 5th in the table and took on Reading in the first tie of the playoffs. Thanks to a late penalty kick conversion by Graham Alexander, Burney took a 1-0 lead in the tie, and finished the Royals off in the second leg of the series with goals from Martin Paterson and Steven Thompson.
Sheffield United- The Blades finished 3rd in the table with a 12-6-5 record. They came on strong in the second half of the season winning or drawing twelve of their last thirteen games. That set the stage for a semi-final showdown with Preston. The Blades were unable to gain an upper hand in the first leg of the tie, drawing 1-1. However, Greg Halford’s header in the second leg of the tie put the Blades ahead for good and booked their ticket to Wembley.
Key Player
Burnley- Martin Paterson. Paterson is the leading scorer for the Clarets and scored a brilliant goal in the second leg against Reading. Look for his skill and goal-scoring prowess to spark Burnley.
Sheffield United- Darius Henderson. Henderson brings the experience and goal-scoring ability that will be key to Sheffield United’s success. He’s one of the few players for either team that has experienced promotion through the Championship Play Off final, when he moved up with Watford in 05-06. Henderson knows what it takes to earn promotion and if he can impart that knowledge on his teammates, that could prove an advantage for the Blades.
Analysis: Sheffield Manager Kevin Blackwell has made it to six previous Play Off Finals and that experience could be key for the Blades. Blackwell has made two Finals with Notts County, and one each with Plymouth Argyle, Huddersfield Town, Leeds United and Sheffield United. Blackwell’s experience paired with Henderson’s could be a boost for the Blades. However, Burnley will be playing with the motivation of a team that has not made it to the top-flight of English football in over 30 years. Their strong season has shown that they are capable of securing promotion, so, this last bit of motivation, fueled with the atmosphere of Wembley might be just enough to earn the Clarets their first Premier League appearance.
Prediction: Sheffield United 2-1.
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