Leeds United, Burnley, and Sunderland are promoted to the Premier League after taking the three spots in the 2024-25 EFL Championship. Leeds United and Burnley finished at the top of the standings with 100 points apiece, while Sunderland finished fourth but defeated Sheffield United in the play-off finale to book their spot. These three teams will replace Ipswich Town, Leicester City, and Southampton this upcoming season.
The early Premier League 2025 odds don’t expect much from these three teams, as they have inferior rosters on paper. They’ll look to stay in the English top-flight for as long as possible. For them to stay in the top tier, head coaches Daniel Farke, Scott Parker, and Regis Le Bris must coach out of their minds, and SBOTOP is here to preview what to expect from them.
Leeds United
Despite being level with Burnley at 100 points, Leeds United took the top spot in the 2024-25 EFL Championship because they had a superior goal difference, scoring a whopping 95 league goals and only conceding 30 on the other end (+65).
Head coach Daniel Farke favours a 4-2-3-1 formation, and his team loves to push the tempo. Leeds United are keen on pressuring their opponents high up the pitch, and once they have the ball, they tend to keep it for as long as possible. The Whites also maximise their attacking width by fully utilising the full-backs to aid their attack. With all this said, don’t be surprised if Leeds United ends up being in the Premier League 2025 highlights reel regularly next term.
Joel Piroe finished at the Whites’ top scorer with 19 league goals, and Daniel James and Manor Solomon had 12 and 10 league goals. Brenden Aaronson and Willy Gnonto added nine league goals apiece. However, losing Solomon is a huge loss for Leeds United this upcoming season, as he returned to Tottenham after his loan stint, opening new opportunities for Patrick Bamford and Largie Ramazani.
The recent addition of Sean Longstaff should bolster Leeds United’s midfield because he already has significant Premier League experience. The Whites also brought in Gabriel Gudmundsson from Lille to bolster their full-back depth.
Burnley
Burnley were in shambles following their relegation to the EFL Championship after 2023-24, as Vincent Kompany left them for Bayern Munich. This is when Scott Parker took over and eventually led the Clarets back to the English top-flight. In 2024-25, Burnley scored 69 league goals while only conceding 16 on the other end for a healthy goal difference of +53. They also typically set up a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Before finishing second in the table, there was a point when Parker was criticised for his pragmatic tactics, as Burnley had a stretch where they had several goalless draws. However, Marcus Edwards’ arrival from Sporting changed the way they play for the better.
Edwards only had one league goal, but his passing and ball handling improved Burnley’s offence. Since joining the team in February, the 26-year-old attacking midfielder has recorded 5.24 progressive passes per 90 and 4.92 progressive carries per 90. He also sat in the Top 3 per cent in the league for successful take-ons.
Josh Brownhill finished as the Clarets’ top scorer with 18 league goals, and Zian Flemming had 12 league goals, and they will be the focal points on offence for the team alongside Marcus Edwards.
The Clarets have had a productive summer transfer window so far, with the additions of Kyle Walker, Axel Tuanzebe, Quilindschy Hartman, Max Weiss, and Loum Tchaouna. However, they also lost CJ Egan-Riley, one of their top defenders, to Marseille this offseason.
Sunderland
Sunderland were on a losing streak before they beat Sheffield United in the play-off. The Black Cats have embraced their underdog label, as evidenced by their counterattacking style of play, which they’ll likely lean on next season. Head coach Regis Le Bris tends to deploy a 4-4-2 formation, with Eliezer Mayenda and Wilson Isidor leading up front. Mayenda and Isidor have formed a robust strike partnership, notching 20 league goals combined in 2024-25.
Losing Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund is a major blow, but Sunderland aim to make up for it with the addition of Habib Diarra this summer. Diarra can play as a midfielder or a winger, and the 21-year-old could be a game-changer for the Black Cats with his uncanny ability to deliver long balls.
Sunderland are also linked with shocking moves to acquire Granit Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen and Jhon Lucumi from Bologna. If they pull these off, the Black Cats should be in a better position defensively.
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