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Sunderland ended an eight-year exile from the Premier League with a 2-1 win over the Blades at Wembley Stadium in the EFL play-off final, with Tom Watson's late goal sealing the win.

"I know people doubted us, it was understandable, we lost a few games, people talk about momentum," Bellingham told Sky Sports after the match.

"But I think we did enough and showed enough in the season for people to give us some credit going into the play-offs.

"People say we are inexperienced, but you get experience by failing, and we have failed together so many times and, in the end, we've come good.

"Every single player has made a name for themselves here. Really proud."

Regis Le Bris's Sunderland lost Luke O'Nien early on to injury and then went a goal behind in the 25th minute when Tyrese Campbell dinked the ball over Anthony Patterson.

But it came out fighting after the break and deservedly drew level 14 minutes from time when Eliezer Mayenda rifled the ball into the roof of the net. Then, in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage-time, Watson, who will join Brighton and Hove Albion next season, scored the winner with only his just third goal for Sunderland.

Ahead of kick-off, many predicted Chris Wilder's Sheffield United would secure an immediate return to the top-flight, given it finished 14 points clear of the Black Cats on the table.

That gap was largely down to a run of six games without a win at the end of the campaign, which included five consecutive defeats, all to sides lower in the division.

The Blades also saw a Harrison Burrows goal disallowed when they were 1-0 up in the first half, but his strike was ruled out for an offside against Vinicius Souza.

Sunderland boss Le Bris explained how his players had to adjust to tactical tweaks, but were able to find the solution.

"It was a weird game. We didn't start well I think, maybe a bit nervous. We knew before that they could be clinical and they were," Le Bris said.

"After that, I think this game represents the way that we play this season - with resilience, with discipline to get back into the game, and we have talented players so we can score.

"We needed to change something in the game, so we were lucky because we had many options on the bench, and we tried different options in the second half.

"And finally we found the solution. The players found the solution because it's always like that.

"We tried different options because we have the players to do that."