Manchester City and the Premier League may well find themselves at odds over whether they want Sheffield United or Sunderland to win the Championship play-off final
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14:35, 24 May 2025
Sheffield United and Sunderland fans at Wembley
Sheffield United and Sunderland fans at Wembley
Not that they'd ever say it, but the Premier League may privately be rooting for Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final. Sunderland would be a fresher breath of air for the league, but the Blades provide more cold, hard cash.
Chris Wilder's side were only relegated from the top division last season and are looking to make an immediate return. Should they do so, there were will no need for them to get the parachute payments that they would have received for the next two years in the Championship as a reward for playing in the top flight.
With Burnley having also gone straight back up, and Leeds only spending a year in the Championship before returning, Sheffield United coming back up would be almost a perfect return for the Premier League. The more money they don't have to give to teams in the Championship is money they can spend on things like fighting Manchester City.
"Those parachute payments go back to the Premier League. It's a really sensitive issue," explained football finance expert Kieran Maguire on The Overlap.
"We've got Burnley who have come straight back, so that's saving the Premier League £34m. Leeds have gone back in their second season, so that's saving a further £16m.
"If Sheffield United are promoted, that saves another £34m. So £84m of parachute payments go back to the Premier League. That will just about cover the Premier League legal costs in the Manchester City case."
The less money the Premier League has to battle City, the more it has to charge its existing clubs and the more that works in City's favour as every other member asks why they are having to foot the bill for an increasingly costly challenge. However, there is another reason why there may be some temporary Mackems in the City Football Academy boardrooms cheering on Sunderland in Saturday's play-off final.
That is because Sheffield United have US ownership. With Burnley and Leeds taking the number of Premier League clubs with US ownership next season to 11, Sheffield United could make that 12.
That is a hefty voting block if they all think the same way, and mightily close to the magic number of 14 that is needed to pass through any Premier League changes. What City already feel is a board stacked against them could get considerably tougher for them.
When City's lawyers spoke of a 'tyranny of the majority' it was this fear that they spoke of. What good is upholding European law in Associated Party transactions if everyone else is going to ignore it and keep illegal rules because they prefer it?
It is not all as black and white as that, but if the Premier League are hoping for the team in red-and-white to be celebrating into Sunday City will be keeping their fingers crossed for change.
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