Richard Keys disagrees with ex-FIFA official after Sunderland v Sheffield United incident
Sunderland beat Sheffield United 2-1 at Wembley on Saturday to win the Championship play-offs and return to the Premier League after eight years.
The match started poorly for Sunderland after captain Luke O’Nien suffered a dislocated shoulder in the early minutes and Tyrese Campbell put Sheffield United ahead.
A second United goal was ruled out for offside in the first half, allowing the Black Cats an opportunity for a remarkable comeback.
In the 76th minute, Eliezer Mayenda equalised, with the Premier League close within Sunderland’s reach.
Tommy Watson then gave fans a truly memorable leaving gift, scoring in added time, igniting an electric atmosphere inside Wembley.
“I feel for the Blades”, Keys reacts to the match
The Blades had a successful season, only narrowly missing out on automatic promotion.
Chris Wilder’s side brought excellent chances in the first half, and thought their lead was doubled before VAR intervened.
Referee Chris Kavanagh announced to Wembley, after review, that Harrison Burrow’s goal would not stand as teammate Vini Souza was deemed to have interfered with Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson from an offside position.
Ex-Sky Sports anchor Keys took to X to share his opinion on the match: “Congrats to Sunderland but I feel for the Blades.
“There’s nothing wrong with the second goal. Clearly, the keeper can see the ball because he tries to save it. There’s no way he’s impacted and 2-0 wins it.”
Former FIFA-listed referee Keith Hackett spoke exclusively to Mackem News, agreeing with the decision: “The second goal scored by Sheffield United was correctly ruled out for offside.”
Sunderland’s stunning performance brings hope
Had Sheffield United’s second goal stood, it would have made Sunderland’s comeback far more difficult.
Yet the Black Cats prevailed, and their win is expected to bring over £200million in financial rewards.
A return to the Premier League offers hope for the club, both financially but also for player retention.
Several players have been linked to exit the Stadium of Light in this summer’s transfer window.
However, the promotion could convince some of the club’s top talents to stay for a new opportunity in the Premier League.
Jobe Bellingham could still remain at the club, despite interest from Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund.
This momentum will be crucial for Sunderland ahead of the transfer window, as they look to build a squad capable of surviving the Premier League.