Key events
Preamble
One year and one day ago, Vincent Kompany’s Burnley won 4-1 at Bramall Lane to push their hosts towards the Premier League trapdoor, and move to within three points of Nottingham Forest in the race for survival. A year is a very long time in football.
Burnley eventually joined Sheffield United in heading back to the Championship, triggering a series of events that led Kompany to Bayern Munich and, later on, Thomas Tuchel to the England job. Scott Parker took over at Turf Moor and has transformed Burnley into a defensive powerhouse, conceding just 14 goals in 43 games this season.
As for United, they stuck with Chris Wilder despite a disastrous start to his second stint with the club. Both boards’ decisions looked questionable, but while fellow parachuters Luton tumbled down the second-tier table, Burnley and Sheffield United have been locked in a season-long promotion battle with Leeds (and, for a time, Sunderland).
That was until a recent blip from the Blades, a three-game losing streak that allowed their rivals breathing space. With Leeds 5-0 up at home to Stoke, victory for the hosts tonight will see both Burnley and Leeds secure their Premier League places for next season. There’s still time, though, for Wilder to spoil the party – or at least delay it.
