Sheffield United vs Blackburn Rovers – Preview | OneFootball

Sheffield United host Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday evening at Bramall Lane in the Sky Bet Championship.

The Blades came away from Vicarage Road with a 2-0 win which marked their first clean sheet since February as well as the first back-to-back three points since February. With this recent win United now sit in 12th place, and the Patrick Bamford brace means United’s number 45 has now become the Blades’ outright top goalscorer in the Championship with 11 goals in 19 starts.

Blackburn, meanwhile, have much bigger worries than the Blades having not picked up a win since the beginning of April which was a 1-0 victory over Birmingham City. Rovers sit five points above the relegation zone but have played a game more than Oxford United.

Team News

For Chris Wilder, there are no new injury scares to contend with. Kalvin Phillips is continuing his efforts to make his way back into the first team, while Tyrese Campbell, Sam McCallum and Michael Cooper remain sidelined for the rest of the term.

The visitors are dealing with a long list of injuries heading into the midweek clash. George Pratt, Matthew Litherland, Scott Wharton and Lewis Miller could all miss the end of the campaign. As will Norwegian midfielder Sondre Tronstad.

Sheffield United’s Impact Player For This Game

One player who could be crucial for the Blades in this fixture is Patrick Bamford. United’s number 45 offers a focal point at the top end of the pitch and has been in fine form, netting 11 goals in 25 appearances.

Bamford’s movement is one of his biggest strengths. He constantly looks to stretch defences by making runs in behind, despite not being blessed with pace, but he is equally effective dropping deeper to link play. This allows United to vary their attacking approach in terms of going short and more direct.

He is also very intelligent in his positioning inside the box. Bamford often finds pockets of space between centre-backs and is capable of finishing chances with both feet and from various angles, as seen with his second goal against Watford.

Another important aspect of his game is his work rate. Bamford leads the press from the front, closing down defenders and forcing mistakes, which fits well with United’s high-intensity pressing style. That defensive contribution from the front can be vital in disrupting Blackburn’s build-up play.

Blackburn Rovers’ Impact Player For This Game

One player who could have a major influence on this contest for Blackburn Rovers is Ryoya Morishita. The versatile attacking midfielder offers pace and technical quality that could cause problems for Sheffield United.

Morishita is at his best when running at defenders. He has quick feet and close control, allowing him to beat opponents in one-on-one situations and drive into dangerous areas, he’s averaged a 40% dribble success rate this season.

He is also effective in the final third. Whether it’s delivering crosses into the box or cutting inside to create shooting opportunities, Morishita has the ability to produce moments of quality, he’s averaging 0.5 big chances created per game.

With three goals and eight assists to his name this season, Rovers fans will be hoping for more contribution from him at Bramall Lane as they attempt to maintain their Championship status for next season.

My Prediction

If United can control possession and dictate the tempo as well as they did in their away win at Watford, they will likely create enough chances to edge the game.

Blackburn are also the second-lowest scorers in the Championship, so the Blades could be in line for another clean sheet.

Sheffield United will win this one by another 2-0 score line as they continue to build momentum ahead of a summer rebuild.

Stats taken from Fotmob and Opta.