NO TURNING BACK! Leeds and Burnley seal premier league return

Leeds United and Burnley have officially returned to the Premier League, clinching automatic promotion on Monday after commanding victories left Sheffield United unable to catch them in the Championship standings.

Leeds, who were relegated at the end of the 2022/23 season, produced a stunning 6–0 rout of Stoke City at Elland Road, led by a sensational four-goal performance from Joel Piroe.

Burnley, meanwhile, claimed a 2–1 win over Preston North End, with Josh Brownhill bagging both goals to secure Scott Parker’s side an immediate return to the top flight.

Both Leeds and Burnley now sit on 94 points, out of reach for Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United, who trail on 86 and have won just once in their last five matches.

For Leeds, the emphatic win was a measure of redemption following last year’s heartbreak in the play-off final.

Dutch striker Piroe, who had been in a goal drought since February, netted a hat-trick by the 20th minute and added a fourth before half-time.

Junior Firpo and Wilfried Gnonto also found the net as Leeds’ attack tore Stoke apart.

Head coach Daniel Farke, who previously managed Norwich City in the Premier League, praised his players’ composure under pressure.

“To deliver such an emphatic performance is really amazing,” Farke told the BBC. “All the credit goes to the boys for the way they have handled the situation… Joel had a tough period, but like ketchup from a bottle, once it comes, it all comes at once.”

Leeds had a shaky spell earlier in March, winning just one of six games, but have bounced back to win four straight — leading the Championship with 89 goals scored.

Burnley, on the other hand, have relied on a rock-solid defence.

Though less prolific in attack, Parker’s side have conceded just 15 goals all season — the fewest in the league.

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Brownhill opened the scoring at Turf Moor in the 28th minute, added a penalty before the break, and ensured Burnley held on despite a first-half equalizer from Tom Cannon.

As promotion celebrations broke out in Burnley and Leeds, the mood was far more subdued in Sheffield, with the Blades now headed for the nerve-wracking play-offs.

Elsewhere in the Championship:

• Plymouth Argyle’s survival hopes stayed alive after a 3–1 win over Coventry, powered by a Mustapha Bundu brace.

• Derby and Luton also boosted their chances of staying up with crucial 3–1 wins.

• Portsmouth secured safety with a 1–0 victory over 10-man Watford.

• Middlesbrough’s play-off hopes took a hit with a 2–1 loss to Sheffield Wednesday.

With just a few games left, the Championship race is far from over — except at the top, where Leeds and Burnley can now set their sights on the Premier League.