Sheffield United earn Premier League promotion: Decoding their season stats
Sheffield United are back to the Premier League after a two-year hiatus. A 2-0 win over West Brom saw Sheffield United confirm second place to earn a much-deserved promotion. United have 85 points from 43 games and have three matches left. Burnley (95 points) have been crowned Championship winners after having earlier sealed promotion. Here are the stats.
Why does this story matter?
Sheffield United had a forgettable campaign in 2020-21, finishing bottom in the Premier League. The Blades suffered 29 losses that season and went down alongside Fulham and West Brom. In 2021-22, Sheffield United showed a lot of character, finishing fifth in the Championship. They went down on penalties in a two-legged semis against Nottingham Forest and couldn't reach the promotion final play-offs.
A defining season in 2022-23
Under manager Paul Heckingbottom, Sheffield United have been excellent in the 2022-23 season. Besides a second-placed finish in the Championship, Sheffield United also reached the FA Cup semis where they were beaten by the mighty Manchester City. In their FA Cup run, they also beat Premier League side Tottenham 1-0 in the fifth round. Sheffield United have earned their third promotion to the PL.
Performance in the Championship this season
After 43 matches, Sheffield United have picked up 85 points (W26 D7 L10). The Blades have scored 67 goals, besides conceding 36 (second-fewest). United have won six of their last seven Championship matches. The defeat was a 2-0 affair against Burnley. Notably, the Blades had tamed Burnley 5-2 earlier in the season. United have retained the second position from November 13, despite the pressure.
Key performers for the Blades
Iliman Ndiaye is the top scorer for Sheffield United in the Championship 2022-23 season. He has 13 goals under his belt. He also leads the tally in terms of assists (9). Oli McBurnie (11 goals) is the only other player for Sheffield United to hit double digits. James Mcatee (8 goals and 3 assists) has played a significant role as well.
