Sheffield United Looking to Kickstart Season Against Watford; Hornets Looking to Bring Back Former Talisman | OneFootball

Sheffield United return to action this weekend as they host Watford at Bramall Lane, hoping that the international break has provided a much-needed reset.

The Blades have endured a difficult start to life early in the 2025/26 Championship campaign, sitting bottom of the table after a string of frustrating results across two managers. They entered the international break off the back of a frustrating 1-0 loss at Hull City where they squandered a chance to equalise with a penalty late on.

Blades Looking to Spark Season Into Life Against Watford

HULL, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 04: Chiedozie Ogbene of Sheffield United runs with the ball under pressure from Liam Millar of Hull City during the Sky Bet Championship match between Hull City and Sheffield United at MKM Stadium on October 04, 2025 in Hull, England. (Photo by Tony King/Getty Images)

The break has at least offered United time to regroup physically and tactically. However, they face a potentially revitalised Watford side who have just appointed former manager Javi Gracia. The Spaniard, who guided the Hornets to an FA Cup final and mid-table Premier League finish in his first stint, returns to a club once again seeking stability, which seems to be impossible as far as Watford are concerned.

Adding even more intrigue to the fixture, reports from Tribal Football suggest Watford could be set to re-sign Nigerian striker Emmanuel Dennis. The 27-year-old, released by Nottingham Forest in August, previously enjoyed a prolific spell at Watford and could bolster their attacking options if deemed fit to feature. His pace and directness would provide a major boost for a side that are lingering just three points outside of the play-offs.

Watford’s campaign so far has been inconsistent; moments of fluid attacking play have been offset by defensive lapses, evident by their even goal difference (11 goals scored and 11 goals conceded).

Sheffield United Must Be Wary of Watford Star Imran Louza

Moroccan midfielder Imran Louza has often been their standout performer, dictating tempo and offering creativity and the ability to split the lines. His ability to exploit space and thread passes through compact defences will be a major threat to a Sheffield United defence that looks very fragile, particularly if the Blades allow him time on the ball.

One of the main reasons United have lost all but one game they’ve played this season is due to the midfield area; the Blades look weak in duels and lack ideas and penetration on the ball. They’ve been overrun by every team they’ve faced, and even arguably in their sole win of the campaign away at Oxford United. This does not make for good reading when you’re coming up against one of the best midfielders in the Championship in Louza, who already has two goals and two assists to his name in just six appearances.

Perhaps on a more positive note, the international break will have allowed standout experienced midfielder Tom Davies to build up his fitness, meaning he will likely be one of the first names on the team sheet come Saturday afternoon. And the Blades will need his ability to dictate a game as well as the work he does off the ball in terms of cutting passing lanes and ball recoveries.