EFL Final: Sheffield United vs. Sunderland Betting Predictions
Your bank holiday is all set, with a sizzling EFL Championship Final on Saturday between Sheffield United and Sunderland. Not only will the winners get promotion to the Premier League, they’ll also receivea guaranteed income of £220 million next season!
In contrast, the losers will receive around £2 million from the gate sales at Wembley and will stay below the Premier League for another season. There’s a lot at stake and the pundits are predicting a very close final. I’ve got the goods on likely winners, predicted scoreline and anytime goal scorers, so keep reading for key insights.
EFL Championship Final 2025 – a return to the Premier League awaits
This Saturday’s EFL Championship Final sees Sheffield United take on Sunderland in a grandstand match at Wembley Arena. Sheffield are number three in the Championship table and have 14 more points than Sunderland, who are currently snapping at their heels from number fourth position.
As well as the glory, the winners of this match will receive promotion to the Premier League for the 2025/26 season. The Blades were relegated a year ago while the Cats have been absent since 2017.
Match details
- Date: 24th May 2025
- Kick off: 15:01 pm
- Venue: Wembley Arena
The match will kick off one minute later than originally planned to raise awareness of the British Heart’s Foundation ‘Every Minute Matters’ campaign.
Black Cats vs Blades – current form
The EFL semi-finals certainly weren’t lacking in drama, with a phenomenal 123rd minute header sending through Sunderland after a two leg victory over Coventry City. Thanks to Dan Ballard’s sensational work, Sunderland are heading to Wembley for the first time since their 2021/22 League One play-off.
Sheffield United also had an exciting route to the final, beating Bristol City 6-0 on aggregate and clinching a Championship play-off record.
| Championship Play-off One | Championship Play-off Two | |
|---|---|---|
| Sheffield United | Sheffield United 3 – 0 Bristol City | Sheffield United 3 – 0 Bristol City |
| Sunderland | Coventry 1 – 1 Sunderland (D) | Coventry 1 – 2 Sunderland |
Sheffield United vs Sunderland head-to-head
Sheffield have won 28 games in the season so far, compared to Sunderland’s 21, but there hasn’t been much to separate the two.
The two teams first met this season in November 2024, when Sheffield secured a 1-0 win at Bramall Lane. But, Sunderland had their revenge when they beat Dem Blades at home in January this year.
In the long history between the two sides (stretching over 100 years), Sunderland has the edge, winning 67 times compared to Sheffield’s 54. However, in the last nine meetings between the two, Sheffield has won five times.
Match predictions
The odds so far are very close, but I’ve gathered up all of the intelligence, weighed and measured it to give you my expert predictions:
- Match result: Sheffield United to win with a 1-0 score line.
- Over 2.5 goals: No, both teams on average have scored 1.4 or 1.3 goals per match this season. However the big occasion could inspire more action.
- Both teams to score: No
- First half result: Typically, teams play a cagey first half in finals. This suggests that the half time result will be 0-0 before the teams open up play.
- Anytime goalscorer: There are several good options for anytime goalscorer on both teams. Kiefer Moore scored in the semi-final for Sheffield United and has a season record of six goals. Gustavo Hamer has ten goals under his belt this season so could be a good pick for anytime goalscorer.
For Sunderland, Wilson Isidor has an impressive 13 goals this season, including a crucial goal in the first semi-final against Coventry City. Eliezer Mayender also scored a stunning solo goal against Bristol City, and has a record of nine goals this season.
Claws vs Blades – trust bet365 for the sharpest odds
If you’re searching for the best sportsbook for your EFL Final bet, I’ve got great news. bet365 is not only one of the greatest sportsbooks for football, but the latest bet365 welcome bonuses deliver £30 in free bets when you make a qualifying wager of at least £10. You can make your qualifying bet on the Sunderland v Sheffield match but just make sure to meet the minimum odds requirement.
From there, you can enjoy continuing promotions on football including a 100% acca boost and the famous ‘sub on, play on’ where your bet rolls over to the new player if your pick gets benched.
Final thoughts – which team will hold their nerve?
Can the Steely Blades cut through the competition or will the Black Cats ride their luck? On such a big occasion, anything could happen. The smart money favours Sheffield by a slim margin but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Cats pulled ahead by a whisker. Either way, bet365 is a great option for your wager and has a seriously good welcome bonus for all football fans. Click on our banners to head straight there.
