Championship final day: How it unfolded as Leeds win league at death and Luton relegated | Football | Sport




The Championship table has been settled after an action-packed final day across the country, with all 12 matches kicking off at 12.30pm. Burnley and Leeds United were involved in a straight shoot-out for the Championship title and the chance to call themselves Centurions, having each entered Saturday on 97 points.

Meanwhile, Coventry City, Bristol City, Blackburn Rovers, Millwall and Middlesbrough were all in the frame to clinch the final two play-off spots. In the relegation battle, Luton Town, Hull City, Derby County, Stoke City and Preston North End still had work to do to avoid dropping into League One.

Express Sport rounds up a dramatic Championship final day across the battles for the title, promotion and survival...

Leeds win the Championship

Burnley started the final day in second on goal difference behind Leeds and almost gazumped their season-long rivals at the final hurdle.

Both clubs had already secured promotion back to the Premier League, but there was still the title and the 100-point milestone to play for.

Burnley suffered a nightmare start as they fell behind to play-off hopefuls Millwall at Turf Moor. However, the Clarets completed a comeback to win 2-1.

Leeds also trailed at all-but-relegated Plymouth Argyle before equalising in the second half.

Then, controversy struck as Wilfried Gnonto thought his second had fired the visitors ahead before the offside flag denied him.

However, replays appeared to show that the Italian forward was, in fact, onside, sparking outrage among supporters in the away end and on social media.

The drama wasn't over, though. Manor Solomon produced a stoppage-time winner to complete the turnaround for Daniel Farke's side, sealing the title and sparking a party.

It's a bittersweet end to the campaign for Burnley, but both clubs have ultimately sealed their main ambition and are coming back to the big game.

Coventry and Bristol City make the play-offs

Sheffield United and Sunderland had already secured third and fourth in the Championship, confirming their involvement in the play-offs.

On Saturday, Frank Lampard's Coventry City sealed fifth by beating Middlesbrough 2-0 in a high-stakes clash. Michael Carrick's visitors dropped to 10th, behind West Bromwich Albion, as a result.

Bristol City avoided an almighty scare against relegation-threatened Preston to stage a two-goal comeback and draw 2-2, picking up a point that was enough to sneak into sixth.

Blackburn Rovers were briefly in the play-off spots instead of the Robins as they led Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, but that meeting ended 1-1, leaving them short.

Millwall were in dreamland for three first-half minutes but join Blackburn in missing out by two points after their defeat at Burnley, finishing in seventh and eighth, respectively.

The play-offs are now set. Sheffield United will face Bristol City, while Sunderland will meet Coventry for a spot in the Wembley showdown.

Luton relegated with Plymouth and Cardiff

It was only two years ago when Luton were celebrating a stunning promotion to the Premier League. They are now preparing for a season in League One after back-to-back relegations.

Luton's afternoon was destined for disaster from the seventh minute when West Brom scored the first of their five goals in a 5-3 demolition job.

They required help from elsewhere that didn't arrive, with Hull City earning a crucial point at Portsmouth, Preston holding Bristol City to a draw and Derby and Stoke playing out a stalemate.

Plymouth were all-but down before the final day, and Solomon's last-gasp winner at Home Park confirmed their relegation.

Cardiff City finish rock-bottom after a 4-2 defeat at Norwich City, ending a dismal campaign with no wins in eight matches.



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Posted: 2025-05-03 15:20:29

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