Blades slice through Robins to book Wembley date
Ruthless Sheffield United overcame Bristol City 3-0 (6-0 aggregate) in the second leg of their EFL Championship play-off semi-final to book a place in the promotion play-off final at Wembley on 25 May against either Sunderland or Coventry City.
Sunderland or Coventry City, which trails 2-1 from the first leg, await in the final at Wembley Stadium after Chris Wilder's side eased into the showpiece with a convincing performance at Bramall Lane.
United will aim for an immediate return to the Premier League with real confidence, given no side has ever won by a larger aggregate margin over two legs in Championship play-off history than this thrashing.
Trailing 3-0 from the opening semi-final meeting, Liam Manning's visitors came flying out of the blocks as Scott Twine dragged wide and Jason Knight tested the hands of Michael Cooper.
However, as was the case in the first leg, City had no answer for United's attacking threat as two set-pieces on either side of half-time did significant damage.
Goalkeeper Max O'Leary was caught lacking as Harrison Burrows's right-sided corner found Kieffer Moore to head home the opening goal four minutes before the interval.
Another Burrows set-piece, again from the right flank, brought United's second in fortuitous circumstances in the 52nd minute.
Full-back Burrows angled towards the edge of the area, with a neat Andre Brooks dummy allowing Gustavo Hamer to score thanks to a huge deflection off Ross McCrorie with a strike that kissed the left-hand post.
Knight steered wide in response before Callum O'Hare almost teed up Tyrese Campbell moments after the pair were introduced in a triple change by the buoyant Wilder.
Burrows then stepped over a delicate Campbell centre, opening the space for O'Hare to bury past O'Leary for his second goal in as many play-off matches, having also netted the third in the first leg.
Wilder's challenge is now to take his side back to the top flight at the first time of asking, but United has never succeeded in any play-off quest across nine previous efforts in the English Football League.