Sheffield United and Sunderland will face off at Bramall Lane on Friday in a crucial Championship fixture.

The hosts are second in the division after returning to winning ways on Tuesday, while their opponents are two points behind, having drawn each of their past five games.

Sheffield United return to Bramall Lane on Friday looking to extend their advantage at the top of the Championship table at the start of the new round of matches, following a solid undefeated run either side of the November international break.

After suffering their only two league defeats of the season so far in mid-October, the Blades have won five and drawn one of their last six games, entering the latest break on the heels of four straight victories, including a 1-0 Steel City Derby victory over rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

Chris Wilder’s team returned to action with a 2-2 draw at Coventry City, thanks to first-half goals from Tyrese Campbell and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi. They then won 3-0 at home against Oxford United on Tuesday, with goals from Callum O’Hare, Campbell, and Rak-Sakyi.

That extended the Blades’ eye-catching home run, as they have won each of their last seven games at Bramall Lane without conceding, while only Burnley have conceded fewer than the nine goals that Wilder’s men have allowed in their 17 games in total, scoring 24 goals on the other end.

Sheffield United are now second in their pursuit for promotion back to the Premier League with 35 points, behind only leaders Leeds United on goal difference. Despite starting with a two-point deduction, Sheffield United will try to create a lead over the pursuing pack with an eighth consecutive home win.

They face a difficult test, however, as the visitors go to South Yorkshire hoping to overtake the Blades and extend their own 10-game undefeated record in England’s second tier.

Sunderland has had a strong start to the 2024-25 Championship season under Regis Le Bris, with 33 points from 17 games, including nine wins and only two losses.

The most recent of those losses came in late September, but the Black Cats’ 10-match unbeaten streak since then includes their first six draws of the season, including five in a row heading into Saturday’s trip, following stalemates against Queens Park Rangers, Preston North End, and Coventry City.

On their return, Le Bris’ team drew 1-1 with Millwall after Femi Azeez’s injury-time equaliser after Aaron Connolly’s 1-0 lead. They also shared the spoils with fellow promotion-chasers West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday, with neither side breaking the deadlock.

Sunderland, who now have the league’s longest unbeaten streak but have dropped out of first place due to their inability to cross the line in recent games, will be eager to get back on track and return to the Championship summit on Friday.

Chris Wilder is expected to deploy a similar Sheffield United starting lineup from Tuesday’s 3-0 win, with defender Anel Ahmedhodzic suspended and midfielders Oliver Arblaster, Kieffer Moore, and Rhyan Brewster injured.

In Arblaster’s absence, Sydie Peck will work alongside Vinicius Souza in the engine room. Captain Jack Robinson will join Harry Souttar in a back four, replacing Ahmedhodzic.

Tyrese Campbell, who has scored five goals in his past six games, is expected to lead the line alongside Gustavo Hamer, Callum O’Hare, and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, who has scored in two consecutive games.

Sunderland’s injury list includes Ronan Mundle, Alan Browne, Ian Poveda, Niall Huggins, Dennis Cirkin, and Jenson Seelt, who are all expected to miss the game on Friday.

The back four of Luke O’Nien, Chris Mepham, Dan Ballard, and Trai Hume will remain unchanged following their midweek clean sheet. Dan Neil and Joe Bellingham will continue to play together in the midfield.

Wilson Isidor, who has five goals this season, will lead the attack alongside Patrick Roberts, Eliezer Mayenda, or Tom Watson, flanked by 17-year-old Chris Rigg.

Sheffield United’s likely starting lineup: Cooper; Seriki, Souttar, Robinson, Burrows; Peck, Souza; Rak-Sakyi, O’Hare, Hamer; Campbell.

Sunderland’s likely starting lineup: Patterson; O’Nien, Mepham, Ballard, Hume; Bellingham, Neil; Roberts, Rigg, Mayenda; Isidor.
We say: Sheffield United 1-0 Sunderland

Given the hosts’ strong defensive record, particularly at Bramall Lane, and the visitors’ recent performances, we can only expect a low-scoring, hard-fought match on Friday.

The Blades have considerably more attacking danger in their available ranks and will be confident in finding a crucial goal to return to the top of the table.

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