Bramall Lane is all set to play host to the second leg of the Championship playoff semi-final between Sheffield United and Bristol City. The home team have a comfortable 3-0 lead and will look to ensure they take another step towards a return to the Premier League on Monday.
Sheffield United secured a third-place finish in the league stage of the EFL Championship with 90 points in their 46 outings. While they were ten points behind the top two, they did have a 14-point lead over the fourth-placed team. They might have failed to secure direct promotion but they do have a realistic chance of making it as they were by far the third-best team in the division.
Meanwhile, Bristol City battled hard to secure a sixth-placed finish in the league. While there was a lot of competition for that spot and they even dropped quite a few points towards the end of the season, they still managed to hold onto a playoff spot.
The two teams squared up against each other in the first leg a few days back and Sheffield United ended up dominating the proceedings as they won 3-0. They dominated the ball created a lot of chances and certainly made it count.
Robert Dickie’s red card did play a part as all three of the home team’s goals came after Bristol were reduced to ten men. While they won’t be a man down in the second leg, they do have a massive deficit to overturn and it certainly won’t be enough. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
The home team will be without the services of Ollie Arblaster, Rhys Norrington-Davies, and Harry Clarke. Meanwhile, they do have a boost as Femi Seriki, Ben Brereton Diaz, and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, who all missed the first leg are set to be available for this one.
Chris Wilder is unlikely to make too many changes to the XI that started in the first leg. They will stick to the 4-4-2 formation, where Michael Cooper will be in goal. Hamza Choudhury and Harrison Burrows will be the full-backs, while Anel Ahmedhodzic will partner with Jack Robinson in the heart of the defence.
Callum O’Hare could be reintroduced in the XI after a great outing off the bench last time out. The 27-year-old could feature out wide on the right, while Gustavo Hamer will be on the left. Vinicius Souza and Sydie Peck will be the two central midfielders who will look to control the tempo of the game and ensure they dominate the ball. In the final third, Kieffer Moore will partner with Tyrese Campbell.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Cooper; Choudhury, Ahmedhodzic, Robinson, Burrows; O’Hare, Peck, Vini Souza, Hamer; Moore, Campbell
Robert Dickie is suspended for this fixture after he was sent off in the first leg. Apart from him, Bristol will also be without the services of Ayman Benarous, Luke McNally and Mark Sykes. Joe Williams’ availability is also a major doubt after he was forced off last time out.
Despite the 3-0 thrashing in the first leg, Liam Manning is expected to stick with a 3-4-2-1 formation, where Max O’Leary will be in goal. Haydon Roberts will replace Dickie in the XI and will partner with George Tanner and at the heart of the defence.
Yu Hirakawa and Ross McCrorie will be the wing-backs for the visitors. Meanwhile, Jason Knight and Max Bird could feature as the two central midfielders. Anis Mehmeti and George Earthy should be the two attacking midfielders behind Nahki Wells, who will be leading the line for them.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): O’Leary; Tanner, Vyner, Roberts; Hirakawa, Knight, Bird, McCrorie; Earthy, Mehmeti; Wells
Campbell has made a huge impact in his debut season at Sheffield United, featuring in 33 league games and contributing to 11 goals. Despite playing just over 1,500 minutes, he has consistently made his presence felt whenever on the pitch.
The 25-year-old averages a goal every 159 minutes, and given his current form, Bristol City could struggle to contain him. While their priority will be staying compact defensively, Campbell might be the difference-maker at the other end.
Sheffield United head into the second leg with a comfortable cushion, and given their recent form at Bramall Lane, they should be confident of getting the job done. Chris Wilder’s men will look to control proceedings early and kill any momentum Bristol City try to build.
While the visitors will be desperate to respond after a humbling first-leg defeat, overturning a three-goal deficit away from home is a mammoth task. They might get on the scoresheet, especially with the attacking talent they possess, but it’s hard to see them keeping Sheffield out for 90 minutes. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the home team.
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