The 2024/25 Championship play-off final is upon us, so let’s take a look at the Sunderland vs Sheffield United head-to-head record as the two teams prepare to do battle at Wembley for a place in the Premier League for the 2025/26 season.
It’s a game worth an estimated £240m, and the Blades will be hoping to return to the top flight just a year after their relegation, while Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats have been absent from the division since 2017.
The semi-finals of the competition provided plenty of drama for a multitude of reasons, and created memories for both sets of supporters.
Dan Ballard’s sensational 123rd-minute header secured Sunderland’s place in the final, as they beat Coventry City 3-2 over two legs to send the Wearsiders to Wembley for the first time since the 2021/22 League One play-off final. While Sheffield United beat Bristol City 6-0 on aggregate – a Championship play-off record.
However, the question remains over who has had the upper hand on the other this season, and if history will repeat itself on Saturday in the capital. Here’s what the Sunderland vs Sheffield United head-to-head record tells us.
Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
There’s been nothing to split Sheffield United and Sunderland this season
It’s third vs fourth once again in the Championship play-off final, and EFL supporters will be keeping an eager eye on the events at Wembley on May 24.
The two sides first met this season at Bramall Lane in November, with Sheffield United taking victory on their patch. Tom Davies’ 83rd-minute strike secured all three points for Chris Wilder’s side, as both Harry Souttar and Chris Mepham were sent off for either side in a feisty affair.
However, Sunderland got their revenge on New Year’s Day, as they welcomed the Blades to the Stadium of Light.
Elizier Mayenda opened the scoring just before the half hour mark, before the away side got themselves back on level terms as Luke O’Nien accidentally turned the ball into the back of his own net. Nevertheless, Wilson Isidor was able to win the game just eight minutes after the first goal in an extremely eventful battle in the north-east.
Sunderland and Sheffield United have a long and drawn-out history against one another
While it’s honours even this season between the Championship play-off final rivals, Sunderland do have the edge over Sheffield United historically, something that they will be hoping to continue despite the Black Cats’ poor form in the run-in.
The two sides have faced each other 147 times, with their first meeting coming in the FA Cup on February 4 1893, with the Black Cats running out 3-1 winners on that day.
It’s a record that they’ve maintained in the years since, with the Wearsiders taking 67 wins compared to the Blades’ 54, while there have only been 26 draws between the pair.
Sheffield United Wins 54
Draws 26
Sunderland Wins 67
Sheffield United vs Sunderland head-to-head record
However, history and form go out of the window in this one-off game, and Le Bris and Wilder will be fully focused on creating their own fortunes against one another as they bid for a return to the Premier League.