Sheffield United v Walsall Match Guide: Teams, player to watch, betting, referee and past meetings

Chris Basham scoring for United against Walsall last season

So the Blades will look to get back to winning ways when Walsall head to Bramall Lane tonight (7.45).

POSSIBLE TEAMS

Sheffield United: Simon Moore, Jack O’Connell, Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Daniel Lafferty, Kieron Freeman, Paul Coutts, John Fleck, Mark Duffy, Matt Done, Billy Sharp

Walsall: Neil Etheridge, James O’Connor, Scott Laird, Jason McCarthy, Matt Preston, Joe Edwards, Kieron Morris, Adam Chambers, Josh Ginnelly, Erhun Oztumer, Andreas Makris

PLAYER TO WATCH

Erhun Oztumer: Born in Greenwich, Walsall’s leading goalscorer this season played for Sivasspor and Anadolu Üsküdar in Turkey before returning to England with Dulwich Hamlet in 2012. He joined Walsall from Peterborough United.

Billy Sharp in action against Walsall last season

HISTORY LESSON

Sheffield United were beaten by Walsall at Bramall Lane earlier this season when Jon Whitney’s side ended their Checkatrade Trophy hopes. Although Chris Wilder, who has called for the competition to be abolished, shed no tears after that result, he is desperate to win tonight following Saturday’s draw with Charlton Athletic. United, who will climb to second in the table if they win, prevailed 2-0 in the corresponding fixture last term having earlier drawn 1-1 at the Banks’s Stadium. Tonight’s match will be the 32nd competitive meeting between these two clubs, a rivalry which dates back to 1893. United have won 43 per cent of those matches with 32 per cent ending all-square. Indeed, when United beat Walsall seven months ago, it ended a run of three straight draws.

BETTING

Click here for the latest form and the odds on tonight's game

Erhun Oztumer is Walsall's player to watch

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Darren England: From South Yorkshire, England assisted Jonathan Moss during last year’s FA Cup final between Arsenal and Aston Villa. Tonight’s match at Bramall Lane will be his 18th of the season so far. He has sent-off five players, including one during a League One fixture between Wimbledon and Gillingham, and averages 2.76 cautions per game.