‘Pretty special’ – Leeds and Burnley’s fight for Championship title

On Saturday, a fantastic Championship title race came to an end, running until stoppage time before Leeds United finally beat Burnley.

Leeds equaled the Clarets’ victory over play-off-chasing Millwall with Manor Solomon’s last-gasp winner at relegated Plymouth Argyle just as the home fans at Turf Moor were gearing up for a mighty party.

Leeds were aware of their fate before kick-off, but twists and turns, as usual, came along.

What was undoubtedly the title hunt that had been the most closely fought one ended in an epic way.

Two teams combined for the first time in a Championship campaign to score 100 points, with Leeds’ superior goal difference being decisive.

Burnley had a record-breaking run of 30 clean sheets, which equaled Port Vale’s Football League record set in 1953-54, and had only conceded 16 goals.

Since winning at Millwall in November, they have won 33 Championship games and have not lost at home all season. They have only lost once in the league.

As manager Scott Parker acknowledged, it seemed unlikely that they would not win the Premier League once more.

After earning a third promotion following success with Fulham in 2020 and Bournemouth in 2022, Parker told BBC Radio Lancashire, “If you’d said to me you’d reach 100 points, 33 games unbeaten, 16 goals conceded, and you wouldn’t win the league I’d have said “no chance.”

This year, we have done remarkably. I’m so proud of myself. We entered today expecting things to turn out the way we did, but instead we made it possible to win the game and score 100 points.

Leeds excelled in attack while Burnley excelled as a defensive unit. They were by a long shot the division’s top scorers with 95 goals. This season, Josh Piroe (19), Dan James (12), and Solomon (10%) all recorded double figures.

“What I’m feeling right now is beyond words.” A passionate Solomon declared to BBC Radio Leeds at full-time, “It is a dream come true to score the winning goal and take this Championship.”

“Throughout the season, we’ve demonstrated that we deserve this trophy and that we came in first.” I’m so happy it occurred.

Daniel Farke, the manager of Leeds, shares Parker’s extensive experience with exiting the Championship.

After recovering from a play-off final heartache against Southampton a year ago, he led the West Yorkshire club back to the Premier League as champion with Norwich City in 2019 and 2021.

Of course, I’m happy that we won this game in the championship game in the championship game, Farke said to BBC Sport.

Because we invested so much and wanted to give ourselves some silverware, the day is emotionally moving.

“I’m very happy for my players and staff because it means a lot to them, as well as our supporters,” said the dressing room manager.

Sheffield United should never be forgotten. The Blades held a four-game lead over the course of five games in April, including a defeat at Burnley that ultimately put them out of contention for automatic promotion, but they did so for the most part because they looked most likely.

In the play-offs, Chris Wilder’s men will have to travel again, starting with Bristol City in the semi-finals. This season, they showed signs of readiness for the Premier League, finishing with 90 points, which would have automatically increased in three of the previous six seasons.

While that indicates a more competitive top of the Championship than ever, Burnley and the Blades are just two of the many players who have been promoted in recent years, which also serves as a stark warning.

In order for the Clarets to survive, a strong defensive unit will be necessary, and Josh Brownhill, who also scored 18 goals, thinks his team have a good chance of improving this time around.

We look really good in shape for the upcoming season and hopefully stay up because this is a different team. Our defensive record speaks for itself, he said of BBC Radio 5 Live, “but we’ve worked hard on everything.”

“I give credit to the staff and the supporters, but mostly to the gaffer.” He has put in more effort than anyone else. Our defensive record is exceptional, with 100 points, 33 games won, and no losses at home.

Never before did two teams at the top of the second tier accumulate as many points in a single season.