Sheffield Wednesday v Sheffield United Preview

Posted on | October 17, 2008 | 1 Comment

This will probably be the highlight of the weekend in the Championship, with the Steel City derby taking place on Sunday afternoon. While Sheffield United have been the better side in terms of league positions over the last few years, Wednesday have grinded out some fantastic derby results and managed to collect four points out of the two games last season. Like all local confrontations, form will go out of the window for this one.

Home side Sheffield Wednesday have surprised a few people this season and have gone against the grain of battling relegation – for the time being anyway. Brian Laws’ men have had a good start to the season and only lie out of the play off places due to goal difference, although it’s not all rosy. The Hillsborough outfit lost their last game 4-0 to Plymouth and after also showing frailties at the back in other games, only time will tell whether their current squad will be able to maintain their position of 10th. Although the likes of Akpo Sodje and Franky Simek will be returning from long term layoffs in the next few weeks, in the meantime Laws’ squad looks thin on the ground and Sunday’s test could be a sterner one than first imagined.

After a short blip in form a few weeks ago, Sheffield United are now in full flow and have won their last three league games. The comprehensive 3-0 victory over play off rivals Bristol City will have done The Blades the world of good and they have now risen up to 4th – six points off top spot. There’s no doubt that Kevin Blackwell has one of the more talented sides in the division on paper and having added Brian Howard recently as well, things are starting to look very rosy indeed for him. With strikers James Beattie and Billy Sharp both finding the net and forming a formidable partnership, fans of The Blades have every reason to be happy and will be hoping to reverse last season’s Steel City derby results.

Both of these sides have welcomed new players into their squads ahead of this game, with United recruiting Sunderland winger Antony Stokes while Wednesday have brought in Lewis Buxton from Stoke for a month. However, they’ve been brought in for a reason – both are desperate for reinforcements. Kevin Blackwell will be without Darius Henderson and Lee Hendrie, while the likes of Nick Montgomery and Chris Morgan have slight knocks. The situation is even graver for Wednesday and Brian Laws will be missing Franky Simek, Akpo Sodje, Peter Gilbert and Tommy Spurr through injury, although Richard Wood claims he is hopeful of playing after a groin strain.

Both of these sides have had good starts in their own ways, yet we’ll have to plump for a Sheffield United victory here. The Blades are in full flow at the moment and with all the talent they have, they should win this one. 3-1 Sheffield United.

Related posts:

1. Sheffield United v Sheffield Wednesday Preview
2. Barnsley v Sheffield Wednesday Preview
3. Doncaster v Sheffield Wednesday Preview
4. Sheffield Wednesday v Barnsley Preview
5. Ipswich v Sheffield Wednesday Preview

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