Wales striker Kieffer Moore believes he is heading back to the Premier League with Sheffield United after the club’s record-breaking thrashing of Bristol City.
Moore led the way as the Blades completed an emphatic 6-0 aggregate semi-final victory which sealed a place in the Championship play-off final.
Now, the Wales hit man reckons his club can carry their form all the way to promotion at Wembley.
His return to the top flight next season would be a major boost for Wales ahead of next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Belgium.
Moore was at the heart of Monday night’s commanding 3-0 second-leg win at Bramall Lane, scoring the crucial opener that extinguished any hopes of a Robins comeback following a dominant 3-0 away victory in the first leg.
The 6-0 aggregate result sets a new record for the largest margin of victory in second-tier play-off history.
“It was perfect – to a man, everyone was brilliant and the crowd was amazing. The whole atmosphere was unreal,” said Moore, reflecting on a night of celebration in South Yorkshire.
“We needed that first goal to really assert ourselves. When we scored, the best of our football really came out. We knew what we had to do and it was a very good, professional performance.”
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Moore’s first-half header — nodding in from close range after Harrison Burrows’ corner — calmed any nerves in the stadium and opened the floodgates for more.
Gustavo Hamer’s deflected strike and Callum O’Hare’s composed finish after the break rounded off the scoring.
Moore, 31, provided a brief injury scare - to both his club and Wales manager Craig Bellamy - after landing awkwardly and was taken off just past the hour mark.
But as boss Chris Wilder looked to manage his squad, Moore downplayed any fears over his fitness ahead of the final.
“I jarred my knee but it’s not too bad,” he assured fans.
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With Sunderland or Coventry awaiting in the Wembley final on May 24, Moore believes United’s performance over the two legs has set a benchmark.
“We’re very much buzzing and looking forward to Wembley now. We've really shown what we can do over these last two games. If we can bring that and more, we’ve a very good chance.”
Blades boss Wilder, who led the celebrations at full-time, was just as full of praise for his side’s composure and control over the tie.
“You know what football’s like, one moment can all of a sudden change the complete environment and atmosphere,” he said.
“To get through that first 20-25 minutes was key... to get the first goal was huge for us tonight and just settled everybody down.”
Wilder urged his squad to enjoy the achievement but keep their focus as they prepare for the final push.
“Everybody tells me it’s the best way to be promoted, but we’ve still got work to do,” he added.
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