Sheffield United’s play-off spot is cemented but their exact route back to the Premier League is far from certain. Chris Wilder’s side will finish third regardless of the result in their final-day meeting with Blackburn Rovers, but there is still so much up for grabs below them with five teams fighting for two spots below the Blades and Sunderland.
United could face any one of Bristol City, Coventry City, Millwall, Blackburn or Middlesbrough in the semi-final, and they can add Sunderland to that list when it comes to possible Wembley opponents. Results against the aforementioned teams have been mixed but the impression left on opposition managers has always been positive.
Previous results and performances tend to go out the window when it comes to the play-offs but it’s interesting to see what the likes of Regis Le Bris and Frank Lampard thought of United after their previous meetings. And with that in mind, The Star has taken a look at what each potential play-off rival has said about Wilder and his promotion-chasing Blades.
![Manning's Bristol City side scored late on to draw 1-1 at Bramall Lane back in March, after which the Robins boss said: "When you look at the performance and some of the attributes, things that we showed, I think it was a decent away performance. We controlled the ball pretty well first half, [this] is a difficult place to come, couple of chances where we don't quite have that last touch or the quality at the end of it. Then the pleasing thing, I think, you see going the goal down, you see the reaction. We just kept playing the way that was getting us some joy in the game, what we wanted to do pre-game, passing the ball and using it and attacking certain spaces. It was a good deserved point I think."](https://www.thestar.co.uk/jpim-static/image/2025/04/29/10/54/GettyImages-2201126430.jpg?crop=4:3&trim=&width=800)
5. Liam Manning - Bristol City (5th)
Manning's Bristol City side scored late on to draw 1-1 at Bramall Lane back in March, after which the Robins boss said: "When you look at the performance and some of the attributes, things that we showed, I think it was a decent away performance. We controlled the ball pretty well first half, [this] is a difficult place to come, couple of chances where we don't quite have that last touch or the quality at the end of it. Then the pleasing thing, I think, you see going the goal down, you see the reaction. We just kept playing the way that was getting us some joy in the game, what we wanted to do pre-game, passing the ball and using it and attacking certain spaces. It was a good deserved point I think." | Getty Images
6. Regis Le Bris - Sunderland (4th)
Sunderland beat United 2-1 on New Year's Day, thanks in part to a tactical tweak by head coach Regis Le Bris. And he explained the decision after full-time: “We were not sure whether to make the change before the game. We spoke with the staff about many options. In the end, we thought that this shape was the better one because with the speed we had through the middle of the pitch, and with the ability we had to work hard as a unit out of possession, within the shape, we knew it could be effective. We especially thought it could work against that team (United) because they want to play in the middle a lot, they tend to pack out the central corridor. So, if we were able to recover the ball here, then with that speed in behind, we knew that it was a massive weapon. It was interesting to see the way it worked out.” | Getty Images