United were relegated to the Championship last season, along with Fulham and West Bromwich Albion, while Blackpool joined Hull City and Peterborough United in winning promotion from League One.
The Championship looks as strong and brutal as ever, with legendary former manager Dave Bassett warning the Blades as such recently.
“The expectation will be there for Sheffield United and Fulham, and there are a lot of other decent teams,” Bassett told The Star.
“West Brom will be expecting to do well, like a lot of other teams. Middlesbrough have spent a lot of money, Cardiff will want to get promoted. There’s no reason Swansea won’t challenge again, Bournemouth will.
“I think the Championship could be a bit harder this season than it has been in the previous two, personally, so it’ll be interesting to see how it goes.”
But where are each second-tier club predicted to finish next season?
Based on the EFL sponsor SkyBet’s odds for 2021/22 Championship promotion, Danny Hall runs through where the odds compilers are predicting each team to finish in reverse order.
United kick off their new season at home to Birmingham City on the opening weekend, but are away at Preston on Boxing Day. Their last game of the campaign is at home to Fulham, setting up the possibility of a mouthwatering final-day clash for promotion to the Premier League.
10. Hull City
Fresh from the League One title last season, Hull are 15/2 to repeat the feat from the Championship Photo: Pete Norton
11. Birmingham City
Pulled away from relegation trouble under Lee Bowyer last season and the bookies price them at 15/2 to go up Photo: Ross Kinnaird
12. Stoke City
No Rhys Norrington-Davies for Stoke this time around, and they're 13/2 to be promoted without him Photo: Gareth Copley