Sunderland Favored Over Charlton in EFL League One Playoff Final

• Two massive clubs going head-to-head
• Sunderland big favorites but two well-matched teams
• Charlton to put off-field troubles aside

English soccer’s League One playoff final brings together two clubs who for most of their histories have played their soccer much higher up the food chain. But Sunderland and Charlton Athletic now find themselves battling to get out of the third-tier and back in the Championship.

EFL League One Playoff Final Odds

*Odds taken on May 24, 2019

Sunderland leads the betting (-151 for the win in 90 minutes), which more than anything reflects the size of the club and its standing in English soccer, but in reality, there is very little to choose between these two teams.

Black Cat Agony

For the Black Cats, it’s the chance to bounce back to the Championship at the first attempt and make their stay in League One just a single season; a hugely important factor for a club with such a massive fanbase and expectations to match.

Play-Off Final prep continues ?#NotDoneYet pic.twitter.com/K3TFj8l9rH

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) May 23, 2019

Charlton, while not regarded as such a massive club as Sunderland, still have a rich tradition and have spent their recent history in the top two tiers, until off-field issues filtered through to the playing side and saw them struggle outside in the third-tier. Sunday’s game offers the Addicks a chance to get back to the Championship for the first time since the start of the club’s off-field ownership issues.

Off-field Unrest in South London

Charlton fans, who are still demanding that owner Roland Duchatelet sells his controlling interest in their club, see this trip to Wembley for a playoff final as a massive triumph over adversity and, in many ways, it really is a reward to them for all the dark days they have suffered over the last few years.

Of course, a Charlton victory wouldn’t automatically solve all the ownership and funding issues, but in terms of Duchatelet being able to sell the club, closer proximity to the Premier League would likely make the club more attractive to prospective buyers.

Addicks’ to Channel the Spirit of Doncaster

So, Charlton fans head to the national stadium with hope, not least because they finished the domestic season two places higher in the table than Sunderland, and they will desperately be hoping they can tap into the fine form that saw them win their playoff first-leg semifinal tie away in Doncaster.

?"It’s going to be a long week! I can’t wait for it to be Sunday already"

Read the thoughts of @nabysarr and Krystian Bielik as they look back at Friday's match and ahead to Sunday… ?https://t.co/AY4tv5F3OU#cafc pic.twitter.com/qN9cQIM9CO

— Charlton Athletic FC (@CAFCofficial) May 22, 2019

For Sunderland, it’s been a difficult season. For all the reasons stated above, automatic promotion was always the aim but they have fallen well short. The playoff final, however, offers them one final shot at redemption and the Mackems will fill Wembley hoping that manager Jack Ross’ team can rally for one final time this season and get themselves back to the Championship.

For the Black Cats, it’s the chance to bounce back to the Championship at the first attempt and make their stay in League One just a single season

The Value with Charlton

While there is no value whatsoever to be had in Sunderland’s -151 for the win in 90 minutes, there is in the +181 on offer for Charlton for the same; especially when you consider how the Addicks’ season has been built around a defense that doesn’t concede many goals. Also, in Joe Aribo and Lyle Taylor they have two fast, athletic attackers who will cause Sunderland problems.

Just thought I'd bring this to your attention ??

Including play-offs, Charlton’s Lyle Taylor has been directly involved in 3⃣2⃣ goals in League One this season (22 goals, 10 assists), more than any other player. ?

Bloody Nora ?#cafc pic.twitter.com/EGCKItDIZD

— D3D4Football (@d3d4football) May 18, 2019

Interestingly,  Sunderland has already lost at Wembley this season – against Portsmouth in the EFL Trophy Final – and while this may have a bearing, we feel that so too will the pressure on the North-Eastern giants to deliver.

So much so, we can see Charlton edging this one within 90 minutes, and we also strongly fancy Taylor to get on the scoresheet.

Our picks: Charlton to win +181 / Lyle Taylor to score