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Following another pulsating 46-game season in the English Championship, Leeds United finished in pole position on 100 points, edging nearest rivals Burnley on goal difference. That means Premier League football will return to Elland Road and Turf Moor when the 2025/26 season gets underway.
There's room for one more Championship side to replace the three relegated teams from the top tier of English football. The season enters the play-offs when four hopefuls are whittled down to one winner. But which side will mix it with the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool? We'll find out after four semi-final legs and a final.
The curtain lifts on the play-offs on Thursday evening when Bristol City host Sheffield United. Coventry and Sunderland then lock horns on Friday, and you can follow both first-leg ties live on Sky Sports.
Keep reading for our big-match previews and predictions.
Bristol City vs Sheffield United, Thursday 20:00
Fancy Bristol City to win at home on the big stage, placing them in the driving seat heading into Monday night's return? You can back the home win at odds of 17/10 with bet365, and I expect that to be popular with value hunters.
Bristol City finished the Championship season in sixth place, making the Robins the lowest-ranked team in the running. Liam Manning's men ended with 17 wins, 17 draws, and a dozen defeats, scoring 59 goals but conceding 55. The 68 points collected meant they were miles off the pace set by the top two in the league, and Manning's side stumbled to two defeats and a draw in their last three games of the regular season.
A 2-2 draw against Preston on the final day was enough to secure a top-six finish and leave the Robins raring to go ahead of their biggest fixture in recent years.
Blades narrowly missed out on automatic promotion
Prefer Sheffield United to beat Bristol City at Ashton Gate for the second time this season? You're certainly not alone there with the away win attracting attention at 17/10 while the draw trades at an eye-catching 21/10. There's value everywhere ahead of Bristol City vs Sheffield United.
Sheffield United know they blew a golden opportunity to land automatic promotion to the English Premier League. The Blades narrowly missed out on a top-two finish, ending third in the pecking order. They piled pressure on the top two in the division, but saw their form collapse heading towards the finish line. Stats of 28 wins, eight draws and ten defeats with 63 scored and 36 conceded left Chris Wilder's men on 90 points, ten shy of the top two.
The visitors enjoyed a strong season, but won only two of their last seven games. That gives football bettors and followers of the Championship a puzzle to solve. Well clear of fourth and trailing second, did United down tools and coast to the finish line, realising they must preserve their energy for the play-offs? Perhaps you're of the opinion that they ran out of gas and are now waiting to be finished off. We won't have our answers until full-time in the second leg.
Bristol City vs Sheffield United predictions and odds
Sheffield United are unbeaten in their last three visits to Ashton Gate. That run shows a 1-1 draw, a 1-0 away win and, most recently, a 2-1 win for the Blades. Harrison Burrows scored a 90th-minute winner in the most recent.
Sheffield United have shown they're capable of finding the net in Bristol, but I'm confident everyone connected to the visitors would view a level finish as a decent result in the first leg.
Bet explanation: If the first leg ends in a draw, regardless of the score, your bet wins.
Coventry vs Sunderland, Friday 20:00
Will Coventry bag another vital win, tipping the balance in their favour? The home win has been popular with bettors all week, and you can bet on Coventry City at odds of 27/20 at bet365.
Coventry City enjoy the home advantage for the first leg and understand Friday represents their best chance of going through to the final at Wembley. A decisive win in the West Midlands before their passionate support would give Frank Lampard's men something to protect on their trip to the Stadium of Light on Tuesday. Do the locals have the quality to super-charge their chances of playing Premier League football in August?
The Sky Blues finished the season in fifth place, more than 30 points off the pace set by Leeds United and Burnley. It became obvious to fans that Coventry were scrapping for a top-six finish, and they achieved it thanks to 69 points. Stats of 20 wins, nine draws, and 17 defeats, with 64 goals scored and 58 conceded, left Coventry three points inside the prize places.
Sunderland on a losing streak
Will Sunderland rediscover their winning form at the right time? You can bet on an away win at odds of 23/10 or try the draw at 2/1. Those odds are now available on the bet365 website and mobile app.
Sunderland look back on a strong season which ended with the team finishing fourth in the Championship, cementing one of the four promotion playoff spots. Stats of 21 wins, 13 draws and a dozen defeats meant the visitors ended on 76 points, 24 below a top-two finish. The Sunderland attack scored 58 goals, which is the fewest of any team in the top six, and that's something manager Regis Le Bris knows they must improve on. At the other end of the pitch, Sunderland conceded 44 goals, more than any other in the top four.
Despite their impressive stats and lofty finishing position, Sunderland enter on a woeful run of form, losing each of their last five. Did they run out of gas near the end and become a target, or did Le Bris rest a few of his regular starters with the play-offs in mind? I could make a convincing argument for both views before kick-off, but fans must be patient, and they'll get an answer on Friday.
Coventry vs Sunderland predictions and odds
The stats show Coventry and Sunderland met twice in competitive action during the regular season. They drew 2-2 at the Stadium of Light before Coventry won 3-0 at this venue in March. Taking four points from a possible six means Coventry haven't lost to Sunderland since 2007. Incredibly, each of the last five seasons in which these teams have shared a league has ended the same, with one draw and one Coventry victory.
Those stats push me towards a home win, and although I refuse to look too far ahead and pick the winner of the tie or the play-offs, I'm picking the locals to prevail at great odds. Those looking for a different approach may like to know that each of the last three games has produced over 2.5 goals, and that's also true in four of the previous five.
Tip: Coventry win @ 27/20 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If Coventry City beats Sunderland on Friday, your bet lands.
Championship play-off offer
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The odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.