Sheffield United can send out a Championship statement by securing a fourth straight win vs Stoke
Sheffield United will be hoping to maintain their excellent run of form when they host Stoke City on Saturday.
Sheffield United will be going in search of a fourth successive Championship win when they welcome Stoke City to Bramall Lane on Saturday afternoon.
The Blades, who have won each of the last three meetings between the two clubs, maintained their recent run of good form with an eye-catching 3-2 victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium last time out, moving themselves two points clear of the drop zone.
Having climbed out of the relegation places last weekend, United’s next challenge is to try and put a little bit more distance between themselves and the dreaded trapdoor.
Ahead of what promises to be an interesting battle with promotion-chasing Stoke, here are five pre-match talking points:
Stick or twist up front?
For the third time in United’s three-game winning run, manager Chris Wilder named a different front-two for the victory over Leicester, recalling Steel City derby hero Tyrese Campbell to partner Tom Cannon up front. The former was an unused substitute against Portsmouth last Wednesday night, meaning he was fully refreshed for the trip to the Midlands.
Having had a clear week to prepare for the visit of Stoke, who Wilder will select to spearhead United’s attack remains to be seen. The recent addition of Patrick Bamford and recent upturn in form from Cannon, who has two goals in his last three games, means the Blades chief has options to consider.
As the clash with Stoke marks the first of three games in seven days for the Blades, Wilder will, as the week unfolds, be forced to rotate to keep his team fresh, meaning his selection on Saturday could offer a hint or two about his plans for the clashes with Norwich City (H) and West Bromwich Albion (A).
Cannon will be of the mindset he deserves to keep his place after his recent contributions, while Bamford will believe he has done enough to bag a second start since joining the club. Danny Ings and Campbell will also be hungry to get the nod.
Maintaining momentum
Following the win at Leicester, Wilder challenged his players to maintain the same standards that had seen his team secure three straight victories, meaning he will be after more of the same against Stoke.
Although United are by no means out of trouble, currently sitting just two points above the relegation zone, it does feel as though they have turned a corner in their efforts to pull clear of danger and put their forgettable start to the season behind them. They have been playing with a swagger of late and their confidence levels are understandably on the rise.
Having won three games on the spin, scoring three goals in each of those victories, United will be hungry to make it four wins in a row, albeit against a Stoke side which boasts the meanest defence in the Championship so far this term.
A fourth win in a row, regardless of the scoreline, would no doubt delight Wilder and send out a message to the rest of the Championship. Another victory accompanied by three goals would mark a fourth successive win while scoring three goals or more for the first time since the Blades’ final four games of the 2016/17 season.
Watch out for Thomas
You would be hard-pressed to name a better summer signing in the Championship this season than Sorba Thomas. The Welshman has been a revelation since joining Stoke from Huddersfield Town in June, scoring seven goals and registering five assists in 18 matches so far this term.
Starring from Stoke’s left flank, the former Boreham Wood man has been one of the best players in the Championship so far this season, thriving under Potters chief Mark Robins’ management. He has scored three goals in his last two games and will arrive at Bramall Lane looking to score for a third successive Championship game for the first time in his career.
United will have to keep a very close eye on him when he receives the ball on the left flank and looks to cut inside onto his right foot because he has developed a habit for scoring directly from crosses this season, doing it three times already, including twice against Charlton Athletic just over a week ago.
As well as looking to secure back-to-back home wins for the first time this season, United will also be going in search of a third successive clean sheet at Bramall Lane for the first time this season. After keeping QPR at bay in a 0-0 draw prior to the November international break, the Blades recorded another S2 shut out against Portsmouth last week.
Much of United’s success last season stemmed from a good home record that was built on defensive solidity, reflected in their tally of 13 clean sheets on home soil. That haul, of course, featured a remarkable run of nine clean sheets in a row at Bramall Lane between the beginning of September and mid-December.
Keeping a clean sheet in three of their last four home games offers evidence that United are trying to reintroduce similar standards. A third clean sheet on the bounce on Saturday would mark the first time in almost a year they have stopped the opposition from scoring in three successive games at Bramall Lane.
Familiar faces for Campbell
Should he get the nod to keep his place in the starting line-up, Campbell will no doubt be keen to leave his calling card against his former club once again. After being released by Stoke at the end of the 2023/24 season, United swooped for the 25-year-old in August last year, signing a three-year deal at Bramall Lane.
The attacker, who has scored five goals so far this season, scored his first goal in United colours against Stoke towards the end of October, helping Wilder’s troops seal a 2-0 win. Campbell was taunted by sections of the travelling fans and celebrated his goal by ‘shushing’ his former supporters.
Having done that last season, he will no doubt be itching to get on the scoresheet against his former club once again. Additionally, he will also be hoping to score his first goal at Bramall Lane since the end of September.