Sunderland will face Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final at Wembley on Saturday.
Former Manchester United great Gary Neville has stated that he would like to see Sunderland return to the Premier League this weekend, but he is concerned that Championship play-off final opponents Sheffield United would be ‘a bit too much’ for the Black Cats.
Regis Le Bris and his team are currently preparing for one final push to return to the Premier League, facing Chris Wilder’s Blades at Wembley Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The two previous meetings between the two sides provide little insight into how the play-off final might play out, with both teams winning one Championship game each during the regular season.
Wilder’s men achieved the narrowest of victories at Bramall Lane in November, with Tom Davies’ late goal enough to give the Blades all three points on a night when both sides had been reduced to ten men by the half-time whistle. Sunderland didn’t have to wait long to take revenge, as Eliezer Mayenda and Wilson Isidor scored either side of a Luke O’Nien own goal to give the Black Cats a 2-1 home victory on New Year’s Day.
With all eyes on their Wembley battle as both sides attempt to set up matches with the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City next season, Neville has given his thoughts on how he expects things will play out under the famed arch.
Speaking on The Overlap podcast, the former England right-back said: “We’re probably going to go Sheffield United, even though I’d like to see Sunderland in the Premier League, but I think Sheffield United have a little too much.” Yeah, we’ll go two to one with Sheffield United.”
“It’s going to be hard to stay up”
Meanwhile, former Sunderland manager Roy Keane has issued a severe warning to the winner of Saturday’s Wembley game, as they prepare to return to the Premier League.
The former Republic of Ireland manager is well aware of the rigours of life in the top flight, having won multiple Premier League titles while playing for Manchester United and leading Sunderland into English football’s elite during his first season in charge at the Stadium of Light.
Keane has warned both play-off finalists that they must be ‘harder to beat’ than Ipswich Town, Southampton, and Leicester City, who were all relegated to the Championship having being promoted to the Premier League only a year ago.
He stated, “The teams that come up must make a stronger effort. I know it will be difficult to remain up. I was there with Sunderland, and it will undoubtedly be challenging. I believe many of them are exaggerating. Southampton were undoubtedly caught off guard at the start of the season. You can be difficult to beat! “Be harder to beat!”
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