Blades burning to regain Premier League status

As if the lucrative prize of a place in the Premier League wasn't enough to motivate Sheffield United when they face Burnley in Monday's Championship play-off final at Wembley, the Blades will also be fired by the memory of their controversial relegation from the top-flight.

United were relegated on the final day of the 2006-07 season when they lost against Wigan, while, at the same time, Carlos Tevez scored West Ham's winner at Manchester United.

Tevez's role in saving West Ham at United's expense sparked a long-running row over claims that the Argentine wasn't properly registered to play for the Hammers.

United sued West Ham for lost revenue from their drop into the Championship and the case was only put to bed in March when the Blades accepted an out of court settlement worth around 20 million pounds.

Now United can make amends for the footballing injustice as well with a victory over Owen Coyle's Clarets in a fixture widely regarded to be the richest single match in the world.

An estimated 60 million pounds will pour into the winners' bank account in the form of increased television revenue and the assorted spin-offs that come as a result of securing Premier League status.

LONDON, Sunday (AFP)