Match Preview: Sheffield United v Sunderland - all you need to know ahead of kick-off!

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Wednesday 17th August 2022

(13th) Sheffield United v Sunderland (9th)

Championship

Bramall Lane

Kick-Off: 20:00

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Tickets & Match Coverage

Tickets: Tickets are probably still in the post or at the ticket office.

TV/Stream: Full live match coverage available via Sky Sports.

Radio: Full live match commentary available via BBC Radio Newcastle (not online)

Don’t forget to follow the blow-by-blow account of the game on the Roker Report Twitter feed (@RokerReport) and check out the player ratings after the full-time whistle at www.RokerReport.com!

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The build-up...

Who would have thought we would have felt a tinge of frustration about gaining five points from nine in the first three games? Who would have also thought that we would be pleased with how we’re playing at home without winning either of our first two games at the Stadium of Light?

This season is a case of so far so good, but as many predicted in the summer, this season is going to be pretty unpredictable.

Even though our last visit to Bramall Lane resulted in a win in the League Cup back in 2019, we haven’t beaten United in league competition in Sheffield since 2003, when a Kevin Kyle goal gave Mick McCarthy’s side all three points over Neil Warnock’s Sheffield United.

There will be a sense of frustration felt within the squad that we didn’t see out the game at the weekend to collect all three points, which Alex Neil will no doubt lean on to get the Lads up for the game this afternoon.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

Former Sunderland reserve full-back Paul Heckingbottom’s side have had a mixed start to the season with a win, a draw and a defeat in the first three games. The win came in their only fixture on home soil so far, which ended in a 2-0 victory over Millwall.

That came sandwiched between a defeat at Watford on the opening day and a 2-2 draw at Middlesbrough, where the Blades twice took the lead and were pegged back on both occasions.

With last season’s 5th placed finish and the subsequent play-off semi-final defeat that followed, Heckingbottom will be under pressure to go one step further this time around and take United back to the Premier League following relegation in 2020-21.

This evening’s fixture will be looked at as an opportunity to get fully on track after a mixed start.

Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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The betting...

The bookies favour a home win at 3/4, with a Sunderland away win priced at 15/4 and the draw at 12/5.

In terms of a correct score, a 1-1 draw is the shortest odds at 5/1, followed by 11/2 for a 1-0 home win, with a 1-0 away victory at 10/1.

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Head to head... at Bramall Lane

(All competitions)

• Sunderland wins: 21
• Draws: 11
• Sheffield United wins: 41
• Sunderland goals: 85
• Sheffield United goals: 132

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Looking back...

Tuesday 26th December 2017

Sky Bet Championship

Bramall Lane

Sheffield United 3-0 Sunderland

[Lundstram 36’, Stearman 58’, Baldock 62’]

Sunderland: Ruiter, Matthews, Browning, O’Shea, Wilson, Oviedo, Gibson, Gooch (Asoro), Honeyman (McManaman), McGeady, Vaughan (Maja) Substitutes not used: Steele, Jones, Love, Embleton

Sheffield United: Moore, Baldock, Stevens, Carter-Vickers, Stearman, O’Connell, Lundstram, Duffy (Carruthers), Clarke (Lavery), Donaldson (Lafferty), Basham Substitutes not used: Blackman, Wright, Thomas, Sharp

Attendance: 30,668

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Played for both...

Don Hutchison

Following Hutchison’s big move to Liverpool from Hartlepool United in 1990, the midfielder joined West Ham United in 1994. Two years at Upton Park ended when he signed for Sheffield United, where he spent another two years before moving back to Merseyside, but this time it was the blue half of Merseyside with Everton.

Peter Reid brought him to the Stadium of Light in 2000, and if only it was longer. A cracking first season unfortunately resulted in a move back to West Ham United. The Scottish international had spells with Millwall, Coventry City and Luton Town before retiring in 2008.

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