The ultimate three promoted EFL groups will probably be determined this weekend, because the play-off finals happen at Wembley throughout the financial institution vacation weekend.
It’s Sheffield United v Sunderland within the Championship, Leyton Orient v Charlton in League One and Walsall v AFC Wimbledon in League Two.
Right here, we preview all three video games by means of a historic and statistical lens…
Championship: Sheffield United v Sunderland (Saturday, 3pm BST)
Sheffield United and Sunderland each received at dwelling within the regular-season fixtures between the edges (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Two former champions of England go head-to-head within the so-called richest sport in world soccer, as Sheffield United and Sunderland battle it out for a return to the Premier League .
Following relegation final time period, Sheffield United – who thrashed Bristol Metropolis 6-0 on mixture within the semi-finals – are aiming to bounce straight again – beneath the boss who took them as much as the highest flight robotically six years in the past, Chris Wilder.
As for Sunderland – whose semi was relatively extra dramatic, culminating in a 122nd -minute winner by Dan Ballard towards Coventry – they’ve been out of the massive time since 2017, spending 4 seasons within the third tier earlier than beginning to climb the pyramid once more.
Each golf equipment have skilled the respective ecstasy and agony of play-off last victory and defeat, however they’ve solely ever recognized the latter at this stage.
Sunderland have misplaced two out of two second-tier play-off finals (though they did go up in 1990 regardless of defeat to Swindon , who have been denied promotion attributable to monetary irregularities), Sheffield United three out of three. One thing has to present.
League One: Leyton Orient v Charlton (Sunday, 1pm BST)
Leyton Orient and Charlton beat one another away from dwelling within the common season (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Leyton Orient and Charlton meet within the first-ever all-London League One play-off last – and simply the third such conflict in any EFL play-off last.
Orient – who overcame Stockport County on penalties after a 3-3 mixture semi-final draw – are one win away from taking part in second-tier soccer for the primary time in 43 years, having recorded their lowest-ever league end of 13th within the Nationwide League solely seven years in the past.
In the meantime, Charlton – who edged previous Wycombe Wanderers 1-0 in a tense semi – have solely been away from the Championship for 5 years – they usually know what it’s wish to triumph on this very sport: the Addicks got here from behind to beat Sunderland with a 94th -minute winner in 2019.
That victory noticed Charlton keep their 100% document in one-legged play-off finals – in addition they defeated Sunderland in an all-time basic second-tier last in 1998 – however Orient have misplaced three out of three play-off finals in that format, most lately on penalties to Rotherham United at this stage in 2014.
League Two: AFC Wimbledon v Walsall (Monday, 3pm BST)
The regular-season conferences 1-0 to Walsall and 1-1 (Picture credit score: Alamy)
The 2024/25 play-offs conclude with AFC Wimbledon and Walsall combating to make it again to League One after two and 5 seasons away respectively.
Either side got here by means of their semi-finals comparatively comfortably – Wimbledon beating Chesterfield 4-1 on mixture and Walsall dispatching Notts County 2-0 – however the stress cranks up a notch now.
That’s most likely very true for Walsall, who have been flying on the flip of the yr, sitting 12 factors away from second place in League Two – by no means thoughts the play-offs. The Saddlers did win their solely earlier one-legged play-off last (towards Cardiff within the third tier), although that was again in 2001.
