Sheffield United seal promotion to Premier League after sinking West Brom

Sheffield United secured a return to the Premier League after a two-season absence, as goals from Sander Berge and Anel Ahmedhodzic were enough to defeat West Bromwich Albion and confirm promotion from the Championship with three games to spare.

The Blades knew three points from their final four games would be enough to join Burnley in the top flight next season, and they needed only one chance to get what they needed, overcoming a sloppy start to secure second spot. Albion, meanwhile, remain ninth and two points adrift of the playoffs with two games left.

The onus was on United to start on the front foot with such a high reward at stake for victory, but it was their opponents who had the brighter of the chances throughout the first half. Karlan Grant could and perhaps should have done better from a Jed Wallace cross inside the opening five minutes, heading over Wes Foderingham’s bar from close range.

Foderingham was then called into action to deny Grant after a smart free-kick from Albion was rolled into the path of the forward, but the hosts’ keeper was equal to Grant’s effort. In truth, the Blades laboured their way throughout the first half without much of a cutting edge, their best opportunity falling to Berge, who shot over from outside the box.

And as half-time approached, the better chances continued to fall the way of the visitors. Wallace was freed down the right by Brandon Thomas-Asante and he dug another impressive cross out to find Taylor Gardner-Hickman, but his speculative bicycle kick was straight at Foderingham to leave it goalless at the break

United returned from the interval with much greater purpose. They dominated possession from the off and immediately set about finding the goal that would secure