Sheffield United can make a statement by doing something for the first time this season vs Derby County
Five talking points ahead of Sheffield United’s Championship clash with Derby County at Bramall Lane on Saturday lunchtime.
Sheffield United will be looking to secure back-to-back Championship wins for the first time this season when they face Derby County at Bramall Lane on Saturday.
The Blades, who have won three of their last four meetings with the Rams, returned to winning ways last time out with a 1-0 victory over Bristol City at Ashton Gate, thanks to a first-half goal from Oliver Arblaster.
Having suffered a 3-2 defeat to Portsmouth in controversial circumstances three days earlier, it was exactly the kind of response Blades boss Chris Wilder would have been hoping for. The victory lifted United to 11th in the table, leaving them just two points shy of the play-off places.
Ahead of this weekend’s tussle with John Eustace’s Rams, here are five pre-match talking points:
Selection dilemmas
Ahead of the visit of the Rams, boss Wilder has admitted that he faces a selection dilemma amid the club’s improving injury situation. Having recently welcomed back the likes of Harrison Burrows and Ryan Oné, Wilder is set to have Femi Seriki available for selection this weekend.
The right-back has been sidelined since August with a knee injury, meaning he has not featured since the Blades’ 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers in the second round of the Carabao Cup. In his absence, Hamza Choudhury has deputised at right-back. He is back available this weekend after serving a one-match suspension against Bristol City.
Although Wilder has played down the likelihood of Seriki returning to the starting XI, his availability for the clash with Derby increases competition for places. The same can be said of the left-back position, with both Sam McCallum and Burrows available for selection.
The returns of Burrows and Seriki give United greater flexibility in terms of formation, potentially allowing the likes of Tahith Chong and Romelle Donovan to focus more on their attacking duties rather than their defensive responsibilities. Wilder now has the kind of selection headache he has been waiting for.
An opportunity to build momentum
Two wins in three games since the international break have increased the levels of positivity at Bramall Lane. After starting the restart with a 3-0 win over Lincoln City, the Blades came close to claiming a point against Portsmouth at Fratton Park with ten men, only to be edged out in the closing stages, losing 3-2.
United, to their credit, bounced back with a solid away win last time out, winning 1-0 at Ashton Gate. They will now be determined to build on that victory and attempt to record successive Championship wins for the first time since April.
Moreover, United will also be targeting further success at Bramall Lane after returning to winning ways on home soil against Lincoln earlier this month. That victory marked just their second home win of the campaign.
United’s home form has been the backbone of their success in the Championship over the past decade or so, meaning that a strong record at Bramall Lane this season could help them compete in the upper echelons of the table. With the play-off places within touching distance, United need to seize the moment and capitalise on the opportunity to build momentum.
Rams’ woes
The reason United should be determined to build some momentum this weekend is that they are coming up against an injury-hit Derby side currently sitting 23rd in the Championship table after winning just one and losing seven of their first 11 league matches this season.
After missing out on a play-off place on the final day of last season, Derby have endured a challenging start to the 2026/27 campaign, winning just one of their first 12 matches in all competitions. Pressure is mounting on manager John Eustace, with some supporters calling for him to go.
However, it is impossible to analyse Derby’s poor start to the campaign without taking their injury problems into account. They are set to travel to Bramall Lane without their first-choice goalkeeper, Jacob Widell Zetterström, three centre-backs, three left-backs and midfielder Lewis Travis, who was recently added to their injury list after suffering an ankle injury against Stoke City last time out.
Given the severity of Derby’s injury problems, it is hardly surprising that they have struggled for form so far this season. They have kept just one clean sheet and have failed to score in four of their first 11 league matches.
In their current predicament, United must look to take advantage.
Brereton Díaz eyes Rams hat-trick
Ben Brereton Díaz was wearing Derby colours the last time United went head-to-head with the Rams. The Chilean international spent last season on loan at Pride Park from Southampton, scoring eight goals in 41 appearances.
However, he returned to Bramall Lane on loan for a third spell in August and is still waiting to score his first goal since rejoining the Blades. Therefore, it might feel somewhat inevitable that he will score his first goal of the season against his former club.
The versatile attacker, who has started United’s last eight Championship matches, has scored in each of his last two appearances against the Rams, including the winner in a 1-0 victory for the Blades at Pride Park in February 2025. He also found the net against them in October 2021, scoring twice in a 2-1 win for Blackburn Rovers, meaning he will be hoping to score for a third successive game against the Rams this weekend.
Eyeing another clean sheet
After keeping clean sheets against Lincoln City and Bristol City, United have recorded four shutouts in the Championship so far this season, with only Swansea City (five) keeping more. Goalkeeper Michael Cooper has returned to his best form, contributing to United’s solid start to the season.
Facing a Derby side that has struggled to score goals so far this season, United will be looking to put in a professional performance and secure all three points while keeping a clean sheet.
Having kept Lincoln at bay in their last home game, United will be hoping to record back-to-back clean sheets at Bramall Lane for the first time since December last year. If they achieve that, another three points and a further clean sheet would only boost confidence and strengthen United’s position in the play-off conversation.