Sheffield United vs Sunderland LIVE: Black Cats snatch 95th-minute winner to seal Premier League return | OneFootball

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Tom Watson fired in the greatest parting gift Sunderland could ask for as his 95th-minute play-off final winner sealed the Black Cats’ return to the Premier League.

Sunderland snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, having been roundly dominated by Sheffield United for much of the contest. The Blades took a deserving first-half lead through Tyrese Campbell before seeing a second chalked off for offside.

But after Eliezer Mayenda blasted home a crucial equaliser 14 minutes from time, Brighton-bound Watson slotted home a perfectly-placed effort in stoppage time to send Sunderland into bedlam and deliver promotion on Wearside.

Sunderland are back in the Premier League!

In 2017, Sunderland were relegated to the Championship. In 2018, they were relegated to League One. Reeling off the humiliation of a double demotion, the Black Cats spent what felt like an eternal four years in England’s third tier.

They rebuilt, clawed their way back to the Championship, and have now reclaimed top-flight status. Dreamland.

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Will Castle24 May 2025 20:00

Boyhood fan and skipper Neil raring for "a heck of a party"

"This whole city has come together in the last two weeks,” said Dan Neil.

"That's what Sunderland football club is - it resonates with all the people and when it comes together it's a powerful thing.

"For it to end with a last minute winner in the semi-final and then today it's not even what dreams are made of because you wouldn't dream of something like that.

"It's been a massive team effort and that's our biggest strength - the team.

"I don't know when it will sink in but we're going to have a heck of a party because it's been a season of ups and downs and this game sums it up, going 1-0 down, keep fighting and we got there in the end"

Will Castle24 May 2025 19:40

Bellingham: Does he stay or does he Jobe?

You have to think that without Premier League football, Jobe Bellingham was upping sticks from the Stadium of Light this summer.

But with Sunderland back in the top-flight, will that be enough to keep their star man on Wearside?

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Will Castle24 May 2025 19:00

Who'd have guessed this at half-time?

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Will Castle24 May 2025 18:00