Leeds United are back in the Premier League after two seasons in the Championship, securing promotion with two games to spare.
Their return was confirmed on Monday following a dominant 6-0 victory over Stoke City and Sheffield United’s defeat at Burnley, which also sent the Clarets back to the top flight.
Daniel Farke’s men now sit poised to clinch the Championship title with wins against Bristol City and Plymouth Argyle in their final two matches, barring an unlikely goal-difference swing in Burnley’s favor.
The promotion marks a triumphant turnaround for Leeds after their heartbreak in the 2023-24 campaign, where they finished third before falling to Southampton in the play-off final.
Leeds faced setbacks in the summer, with highly-rated academy star Archie Gray joining Tottenham and Player of the Season Crysencio Summerville departing for West Ham.
The unexpected sale of Georginio Rutter to Brighton added further challenges. Nevertheless, astute signings, including Joe Rodon, Jayden Bogle, Ao Tanaka, and loan stars Joe Rothwell and Manor Solomon, bolstered the squad.
The season began slowly with three winless games but quickly gained momentum after a 2-0 victory at Sheffield Wednesday.
A near-perfect home record, with only one loss to Burnley, and a three-month unbeaten league run propelled Leeds to the top by February. Dramatic comebacks against Sunderland and Sheffield United solidified their position as promotion favorites.
Although March brought a dip in form, including a costly goalkeeping change from Illan Meslier to Karl Darlow, Leeds ultimately reclaimed top spot. Their emphatic demolition of Stoke ensured promotion without needing results from their final matches.
Farke, on the brink of a third Championship title after previously winning two with Norwich City, now faces the challenge of bucking the recent trend of promoted clubs facing immediate relegation.
