Sheffield United vs Bristol City Bet Builder Tips, Best Bets, Stats, Predictions

Bristol City needed something pretty extraordinary to turn this around, particularly away from home. Their struggles after the red card were partly down to their loss of natural width that the back 5 allows them, unable to spread their wing backs as much without the extra man.

Being restored to a full side, they’ll need to work into the channels as they normally do, trying to get the ball into advanced positions and deliver. This could lead to them winning their fair share of corners, with the wing backs and inside forwards combining down the flanks.

They’ve averaged 5.39 corners per 90 this season and that’s no surprise when you consider they’re averaging 18.7 crosses per 90. Sheffield United have perhaps been more vulnerable out wide, particularly down the left with Hamer naturally inclined to drift infield and thus leaving Burrows isolated.

Only Blackburn and West Brom have faced more crosses than Sheffield United out of the top half teams and the Robins will be looking to capitalise.

Despite the obvious need for Bristol City to take the game to the hosts, that doesn’t mean there won’t be periods where Sheffield United enjoy the lion’s share of both the ball and the chances.

The Blades rank inside the top 6 for shots on target, shots, touches inside the opposition box and expected goals so to suggest they won’t trouble the Robins would be naive particularly on their own patch.

Wilder will be keen for them to make a fast start and avoid inviting pressure and taking the game to the visitors is the best way of doing so which could mean Max O’Leary is in for a busy evening.

This would have landed in 6 of the last 7 City games whilst the Blades have forced opposition keepers into 3+ saves in each of their last 5.

If any team embodies their manager in the Championship it’s Sheffield United and that means they’re not afraid to show their gritty side when they need to.

This could be one of those evenings, with a vociferous crowd and such high stakes on the line so I can see a fair few fouls being committed. One player that is prone to an infringement is Sydie Peck, particularly when the Blades deploy a 4-4-2 shape as they have done lately.

Losing that extra cover in front of the midfield, it causes him to be a bit more front footed with Souza the anchor of the pair. He’s committed 0.9 fouls per games this season and he could follow suit here.

Any sense of a Robins counter attack may be halted, Peck could be that man.

Whilst there are some defensive frailties down the Sheffield United left, there is also a wealth of attacking talent. With Hamer looking to drift infield it opens the for Harrison Burrows to maraud down the left into dangerous areas and this makes him a point of interest for opponents.

Up against Yu Hirakawa who’s not a natural winger he’ll fancy his chances to cause damage as he did in the first leg with a goal and an assist.

This could cause him to be fouled by the Robins, particularly with the potential for Yu to mistime his challenges.

Burrows has drawn 1.2 fouls per game this season and was on the receiving end in the first leg. He was fouled twice in each of the league meetings between these two and it could be a similar story here.