Both aiming to extend strong runs of form at the top end of the Championship table, Sheffield United and Bristol City will square off at Bramall Lane on Tuesday.
The hosts moved level with league leaders Leeds United with a victory at the weekend, while their visitors trail the final playoff place by just two points.
Match preview
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Sheffield United head back into action at Bramall Lane on Tuesday aiming to give their automatic promotion hopes another major boost with a third straight Championship victory.
In their hunt for an immediate return to the Premier League under Chris Wilder, the South Yorkshire outfit have overcome a two-point deduction to sit second on 76 points after 36 outings, having won 24 and only lost six of those.
Nine of those wins have come in the Blades’ last 11 outings since early January, with home losses to Hull City and Leeds United being the only blemishes, as the latter left them just two points clear of third-placed Burnley and five behind leaders Leeds.
They have bounced back in impressive fashion with back-to-back wins again, though, firstly visiting Queens Park Rangers and prevailing in a 2-1 victory thanks to goals from Ben Brereton Diaz and Tyrese Campbell, before the latter netted the only goal in a home triumph over Preston North End on Saturday.
Still two points above second spot but now level with Leeds and only trailing on goal difference with 10 matches remaining, Sheffield United will be keen to make it three wins on the bounce and 10 in their last 12 attempts to strengthen their top-two position before heading to Sheffield Wednesday for a Steel City Derby on Sunday.
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They face a tough test, though, as the visitors arrive at Bramall Lane aiming to avenge an agonising late defeat to the Blades in November and boost their own promotion hopes this season.
In their 10th consecutive Championship campaign, Bristol City have enjoyed a relatively pleasing term thus far, strengthening their playoff claim in recent weeks and moving onto 53 points from 36 games, winning 13 of those and losing nine.
The most recent of those losses came at home to Swansea City in early February, and Liam Manning‘s side have since bounced back with three victories and two draws in their last five attempts, notably recording back-to-back triumphs over fellow playoff-chasers Middlesbrough and Millwall across late February and early March.
Zak Vyner and Harry Cornick netted second-half goals in a trip to the latter, before the Robins most recently hosted strugglers Hull City at the weekend and had to settle for a share of the spoils thanks to Anis Mehmeti‘s second-half leveller, despite playing against 10 men for 75 minutes following Joao Pedro‘s red card.
Having fallen two points behind second-placed West Bromwich Albion as a result of that disappointing draw at Ashton Gate, Bristol City will now bid to get back to winning ways in a tough trip to Bramall Lane with a chance to climb into the playoff places if other results go their way.
Team News
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Sheffield United continue to contend with several injury issues, as loanee right-backs Alfie Gilchrist and Harry Clarke are set to remain out of action alongside Jamie Shackleton, Tom Davies, Oliver Arblaster and Rhys Norrington-Davies.
Key men Vinicius Souza and Gustavo Hamer also came off with concerns in Saturday’s win over Preston North End and may miss out on Tuesday, likely meaning Hamza Choudhury will join Sydie Peck in the engine room and Rob Holding will come on on the right-hand side of the back four.
If Hamer misses out, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi should join Callum O’Hare and Ben Brereton Diaz in support of front man Tyrese Campbell, who has moved onto eight league goals for the season by scoring decisive strikes in each of the Blades’ last two outings.
Bristol City are set to remain without defenders Luke McNally and Ross McCrorie and attacker Nahki Wells for the trip to Bramall Lane, after they all missed the weekend’s meeting with Hull.
In McNally’s absence, George Tanner should again join Rob Dickie and Zak Vyner in a back three, while Max Bird and Jason Knight are bound to continue their partnership in the engine room of their 3-4-3 setup.
Sinclair Armstrong will hope to lead the line again with support from Scott Twine and Anis Mehmeti, who moved onto 12 league goals for the season last time out, despite attacking competition from Sam Bell, Yu Hirakawa and Harry Cornick.
Sheffield United possible starting lineup:
Cooper; Holding, Ahmedhodzic, Robinson, McCallum; Choudhury, Peck; Rak-Sakyi, O’Hare, Brereton Diaz; Campbell
Bristol City possible starting lineup:
O’Leary; Tanner, Dickie, Vyner; Sykes, Bird, Knight, Pring; Mehmeti, Armstrong, Twine
We say: Sheffield United 1-0 Bristol City
Bristol City do head to Bramall Lane in the midst of an impressive run of form, while the hosts could be impacted by a pair of harmful new injury concerns, but the Blades have shown their resilience and ability to win tight games this season and will hope to do the same at Bramall Lane.
The visitors may have lost some momentum in a disappointing home draw against 10 men on Saturday and could fall just short at Bramall Lane.
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