Leeds win Championship title on goal difference, Luton relegated

Reuters

03-05-2025

May 3 (Reuters) - Leeds United edged out Burnley to win the second-tier Championship title on goal difference after both teams finished the season with 100 points as Luton Town suffered a second straight relegation on Saturday.
On a frantic final day, Leeds found themselves trailing Plymouth Argyle early in the game through a Sam Byram own goal but Wilfried Gnonto levelled eight minutes into the second half.
With Burnley leading Milwall, Leeds desperately needed a winner and it was Tottenham Hotpsur loanee Manor Solomon who popped up with a goal in added time to give Leeds a 2-1 victory that also relegated Plymouth.
Burnley beat Milwall 3-1 but lost out on the title due to Leeds' superior goal difference.
Both Leeds and Burnley had sealed promotion to the Premier League last month with a guaranteed top-two finish.
Sheffield United finished third with 90 points after a 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers, who ended seventh and missed out on the last playoff spot by two points.
In the playoffs, Sheffield United will take on Bristol City, who finished sixth with 68 points while fourth-placed Sunderland (76 points) take on Frank Lampard's Coventry City (fifth with 69 points).
The two-legged playoffs will be held between May 8-13 and the final is on May 24.
At the bottom of the table, Luton became only the fourth club in history to suffer back-to-back relegations from the Premier League.
They were playing in the top flight only a year ago but will start next season in League One.
Luton will be joined in the third tier by Cardiff City, who finished bottom after a 4-2 defeat by Norwich City.
Norwich and Cardiff were being managed by former Arsenal team mates Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey after both took interim charge of their respective clubs last month.