Sunderland face Coventry City in the Championship play-off semi-finals.

Former Sunderland defender Alan Hutton has admitted that he would “love” to see the Black Cats in the Premier League next season, but is of the belief that Sheffield United will triumph in this month’s Championship play-offs.

Regis Le Bris’ men kick off their play-off campaign with a semi-final first leg clash against Coventry City on Friday evening, while United will come up against Bristol City on Thursday, with both return fixtures scheduled for early next week.

And while Hutton, who spent a brief loan stint on Wearside in 2010, would like to see his old club seal a long-awaited return to the top flight, the Scot has suggested that it is Chris Wilder’s Blades who are the team to beat.

What has Alan Hutton said about Sunderland’s play-off hopes?

Speaking to BoyleSports, who offer the latest football odds, Hutton said: “Sheffield United are the team that is probably the standout at the moment, even though I always worry about that team that finishes third. For years when you look at it, you're nearly there in the top two positions, you slip out of it. How's the mind? How's the motivation? Are you a little bit down?

“But I think they've got the manager and the team that can do it. I'd love to see Sunderland go back up into the Premier League, if I'm totally honest. I think as well, what Frank Lampard's done at Coventry has been exceptional.

“That would be a huge story as well, but it's so tight. I mean, that's what I love about it. I mean, going into that last game, a lot could still change and make it interesting. You'd have to say, Sheffield United at this moment in time. But I'd love to see Sunderland back in the Premier League.”

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What has Regis Le Bris said about Sunderland’s play-off hopes?

Asked what he would say to fans feeling pessimistic about Sunderland's play-off hopes following their recent run of five successive defeats, head coach Le Bris responded: "I understand, but we have to remember where we were one season before. This team has shown so many qualities this season, it doesn't disappear like that [clicks fingers]. It has been a really strange period because we secured this place so early, and it was clear that this squad, the youngest in the league with a small core, deserved to recover.

“We disturbed the flow of the squad—its rhythm and its references—so that they could recover and so that we could test some new foundations. But in the end, we know our foundations as a team. We know what works and what is positive for us, we know in our heads maybe what options could be good for us in the games. We are clear on our foundations, and I think at that level, we are always on the edge; it's not unusual. The players are ready to react."

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