Sheffield Wednesday v Sheffield United may have extra Steel City spice - it involves Leeds United | OneFootball

Sunday's Steel City derby could see a battle between two former Leeds United promotion winners

This Sunday sees the first Steel City derby of the season, and it's a big one for a whole host of reasons.

The battle between Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday is always one that gets circled once fixtures are announced, as it's one of the fiercest rivalries in football.

However, the dire start that Sheffield United have made to the current campaign has added extra stakes to this one. With a threadbare squad and a points deduction, Sheffield Wednesday are expected to go down.

However, they'll want to make a fist of things, and a win against their bitter rivals to get even closer to getting back to a positive points tally would go down a treat. Additionally, if the Owls are to be relegated, they'd love to see the Blades come down to League One with them.

New arrivals over the November international break, though, have added yet another storyline and layer of interest, as this Sunday could mark a Leeds United reunion on opposite sides of the derby.

Patrick Bamford and Liam Cooper could make their respective debuts against each other on Sunday

Patrick Bamford found his new club over the international break, as he signed a short-term contract, running until January, with Chris Wilder's side.

The 32-year-old had been without a side since August, when he was released by Leeds a year before his deal was set to run out, after it was revealed that he wasn't part of Daniel Farke's plans as the side ventured into the Premier League.

Bamford hasn't started a league game since April 2024, when he scored in a 4-3 win over Middlesbrough, with all 17 of his Championship appearances last term coming from the bench.

Therefore, the chances of being immediately thrust in from the off by Chris Wilder could be low. However, if he does feature at all in the side, he could be coming on to go up against a familiar face from his time at Elland Road.

Liam Cooper has also been without a club since the summer, after he mutually agreed to part ways with Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia, and has been drafted in by struggling Sheffield Wednesday.

The Owls were given the green light by the EFL to bring in two players on free transfers, including the former Leeds captain, who was due in Sheffield on Monday (17 November) to sign a contract for Henrik Pedersen's side.

Given the absence of several senior players, there's a high likelihood that Cooper could be thrown in for his debut from the off, and if he does, there's a high likelihood that the two former Championship-winning teammates face off.

Both Cooper and Bamford were big parts of Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds side, which won promotion to the Premier League in the 2019/20 campaign.

Cooper was the legendary manager's captain, whilst Bamford was his main man going forward, netting 16 en route to promotion and then a further 17 in their first season back in the top flight.

That Leeds team is well-regarded as one of the best in Championship history, but now they're set to line out for a couple of sides battling down at the bottom in a derby where three points mean everything.

No time for a friendly catch-up in the Steel City derby between Liam Cooper and Patrick Bamford

Cooper's time in West Yorkshire ended a year before Bamford's did, and whilst you'd expect that it hasn't been over a year since the two crossed paths, this Sunday could mark an important moment in both of their careers, as they share the pitch once more.

However, there'll be no time for pleasantries during the game, as they'll be representing two sides who are desperate to get one over each other, especially given the poor starts they've both shown so far this season.

Having spent five years in the same changing room and on the pitch for the same team, it'll be interesting to see how the potential battle pans out if they both end up battling with each other.

Both Bamford and Cooper are among the more intelligent players in their respective positions, and they'll know how each other plays more than anyone else on that pitch on Sunday.

It may come down to who wants it more between the two on the day, but it's definitely a battle to keep an eye on if the two end up on the pitch at the same time, and one that Leeds fans may have a piqued interest in, too.