Blades can find closure
Sheff Utd v Burnley
The Football League season draws to a close on Monday as Sheffield United take on Burnley at Wembley, with the priceless prize of a place in the Premier League for the winners.
The Blades dropped out of the top flight in 2007 in controversial circumstances as Neil Warnock’s side were edged out by West Ham’s Carlos Tevez inspired revival.
Greg Halford’s second-half header gave the Blades a 1-0 win, and 2-1 aggregate victory, over Preston at Bramall Lane last Monday.
Halford is expected to be fit for Monday, despite struggling in the closing stages of the second-leg with an Achilles problem.
Manager Kevin Blackwell also has concerns over the fitness of the trio of Jamie Ward, Darius Henderson and John-Joe O’Toole.
Henderson is the biggest doubt as he is struggling to overcome an Achilles injury, while Northern Ireland international, Ward, has a hamstring strain.
Goalkeeper Paddy Kenny, who has kept 20 clean sheets this season, is the only surviving member of the side that suffered play-off heartbreak at the hands of Wolves in the 2003 final at Cardiff.
Having narrowly missed out on a trip to Wembley in the Carling Cup this season, Burnley stand 90 minutes from the prize estimated to be worth £50 million for the club.
Spectacular strikes from Martin Paterson and Steven Thompson earned the Clarets a 2-0 win against Reading at the Madejski last Tuesday, sending them through 3-0 on aggregate.
The Clarets have never reached the Premier League and last played in the top flight in 1976.
Owen Coyle will have an almost fully fit squad to pick from, with Chris Eagles the only concern with a hip injury which limited him to a place on the bench at Reading.
The Clarets have scored seven goals without reply in their last three games and will be confident of clearing the final hurdle.
United will be hoping to right the wrongs of the Tevez affair, but with such a massive prize at stake, both side’s will believe they can find a final flourish to take them to the Premier League.
Verdict: Sheff Utd 2-1 Burnley