Omens in Sheffield United's favour v Portsmouth as Blades look to respond to Leeds United, Burnley challenge

Midweek wins for promotion rivals Burnley and Leeds have piled the pressure back on to Sheffield United this weekend as they look to respond at home to Portsmouth - but the omens are certainly in their favour. Chris Wilder’s side dropped to third after Burnley’s narrow midweek win over Oxford United, before Leeds beat Coventry to move five points clear at the top of the table.

But the Blades have a game in hand on both sides and can readdress the balance this weekend at home to struggling Pompey, who did hold Burnley to a creditable goalless draw at Fratton Park last weekend. John Mousinho’s side make the long trip to Bramall Lane this weekend looking to avoid an eighth successive defeat on the road but are buoyed by some fresh faces, including Liverpool loanee Kaide Gordon.

But history is certainly not on their side as they search for a much-needed victory to aid their survival scrap. Pompey have gone more than 69 years since a win at Bramall Lane, a run stretching back to November 1955 and lasting for 25 matches in South Yorkshire since.

While United were active in the January transfer window, adding five senior players to their squad and two wildcard additions with one eye on the future, Pompey were even busier with eight additions - with Mousinho considering reshuffling his pack for the Bramall Lane clash.

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“We’ve got to address something,” he told our sister paper The News. “We’ve got to change something, and hopefully that starts at Sheffield United. There is definitely a possibility we shuffle things again, we have to look at squad rotation going into the Tuesday and Saturday games, so it’s something we are very, very aware of. I just think we’re in a stronger position to do that now than maybe a month ago.”

United signed Rob Holding on loan from Crystal Palace on deadline day but he is expected to start on the bench against Pompey, while Wilder has another real selection dilemma after key man Gus Hamer returned from the two-match suspension that saw him miss out against Hull City and Derby County in United’s last two games.