Sheffield United v West Brom: Former Newcastle, Wednesday chief Steve Bruce gives his assessment of Blades

Bruce, the former United manager, will return to South Yorkshire for his first game in charge of West Brom, who sacked Valérien Ismaël last week after a poor run of form.

Both sides are looking to make an instant return to the Premier League after relegation last season, and the Blades can go level on points with their sixth-placed visitors with victory in front of a big crowd under the lights at Bramall Lane.

“After Sheffield United, we’ve got 16 games to play. It’s all to play for,” Bruce, who had a spell in charge of the Blades’ city rivals Wednesday, said.

“We know all of their players. The vast majority of their team is the team that got them up and kept them up in the Premier League before their relegation last season.

“They’ve got some very good players and just like us, you would have expected Sheffield United to be there or thereabouts. Certainly at the start of the season, you’d be thinking that they’ve got a good chance of promotion.

“It’ll be a big attendance and a great atmosphere I’m sure. It’ll be a really, really good game to look forward to. Let’s enjoy it and enjoy the challenge.

“We know it’s a big challenge, but that’s what the Championship is.

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“If you are going anywhere in the Championship, and Sheffield United is one of the bigger tests, you’ll always get a challenge.

“We need to be ready for it and try our best to give our travelling fans something to shout about.”

Bruce, whose last job was at Newcastle United, accepted the invitation to take over at the Hawthorns after Ismaël was sacked, with the Baggies winning one of their last 14 games in all competitions.

“We have to get off to a positive start. That’s got to be the aim and probably the reason I am sitting here,” Bruce added.

“As football managers, we’ve got to do one thing these days. That’s get results."

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