Frenchman Le Bris one game from ending Sunderland's top-flight exile

By Martyn Herman

LONDON, May 23 (Reuters) - Sunderland are one game away from ending their eight-year absence from the Premier League but will have to upset the odds to beat Sheffield United in Saturday's Championship promotion playoff final at Wembley.

The game, regarded as soccer's richest with this year's winner set to benefit to the tune of 220 million pounds ($297.13 million) in extra income from being in the Premier League, pits the teams that came third and fourth in the regular Championship season.

Regis Le Bris's side finished 14 points below Sheffield United but a last-gasp victory over Coventry City in the playoff semi-finals has put them on the brink of re-joining the elite for the first time since 2017.

Relegation that year signalled a rapid descent for Sunderland who spent four seasons in the third tier and twice suffered playoff heartache before winning the playoff final against Wycombe Wanderers in 2022 to return to the Championship.

Last season Sunderland flirted with relegation but under Frenchman Le Bris, a rather surprising managerial choice last June having just been relegated from Ligue 1 with Lorient, they have prospered and were in the top four all season.

"We are exactly where we wanted to be at the start of the season," Le Bris, who holds a doctorate in sport physiology and biomechanics and whose coaching philosophy is inspired by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, told the club's website.

"When I first met the players, they told me they wanted to get promoted and to do this we have to show discipline, resilience and identity like we have all season.

"We must focus on our team and our identity. It will be another tough game, but we are ready."

Sunderland lost their last five regular Championship games when a playoff spot was virtually assured but returned to form against Coventry and reached the final in dramatic fashion as Daniel Ballard's header in the final seconds of extra time snatched a 1-1 home draw for a 3-2 aggregate victory.

Sheffield United also had a dip in form, winning only two of their last seven league games, but thrashed Bristol City to reach the Wembley playoff and Chris Wilder's side are vastly more experienced than Sunderland.

They are seeking to return to the Premier League at the first attempt after finishing bottom last season when they won only three games and conceded 104 goals.

Wilder earned promotion with Sheffield United to get them back to the top flight in 2019 and in their first season came ninth, their best top-flight finish since 1991-92.

He parted ways with the club the following season though with them heading for relegation but returned in December 2023 with the club once again heading for the drop.

Although he could not prevent a return to the Championship, Wilder has the chance to lead them back at the first attempt.

"I've got a really good group that can produce big moments, that can keep clean sheets, that can play on the big stage and handle the big occasion," he said.

"There are no guarantees, but we couldn't have prepared any better and we are ready."

($1 = 0.7404 pounds) (Reporting by Martyn Herman Editing by Toby Davis)