Aiming to bounce back from consecutive defeats and move back towards the top two in the Championship table, Sheffield United will welcome Stoke City to Bramall Lane on Saturday.
The hosts have suffered their first two league losses of the season following the recent international break, while their visitors sit 17th in the midst of a four-match unbeaten streak.
Match preview
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Sheffield United head back to Bramall Lane on Saturday aiming to make a return to winning ways in their Championship promotion bid, having suffered their first setbacks of the campaign since the recent international break.
After beginning with a two-point deduction, the Blades enjoyed a fine start to their first season back in England's second tier, heading into the October break with the division's only remaining unbeaten streak intact having earned six wins and three draws from their first nine matches to sit on 19 points.
That was largely thanks to a particularly impressive defensive record, having only conceded three goals in those nine outings, culminating in six consecutive clean sheets, but they have been unable to pick up where they left off on their return, firstly visiting Yorkshire rivals Leeds United on Friday and succumbing to a 2-0 defeat.
Then aiming to put that derby disappointment behind them, Chris Wilder's men faced another tough test on Wednesday in a trip to Middlesbrough and again left empty-handed, as the game remained goalless until the final 10 minutes, only for Emmanuel Latte Lath to put the hosts ahead 10 minutes from time and seal all three points.
Now left wounded having dropped three points behind the top two, lost their unbeaten record and failed to score in their last two attempts, Sheffield United will be desperate to get back to their best on Saturday and rejoin the leading pack with a return to winning ways on home turf.
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They face another tricky test, though, as the visitors head to Yorkshire aiming to continue an improved run.
After suffering a poor start to their latest Championship campaign, Stoke City now find themselves in the midst of a four-game unbeaten streak, earning their first points under the management of Narcis Pelach in the process.
He succeeded Steven Schumacher in September, and after his tenure began with back-to-back defeats, the Spanish boss oversaw a 6-1 thrashing of Portsmouth and a goalless stalemate with Swansea City before the international break.
The Potters have since made it three consecutive draws on their return, firstly sharing the points at home to Norwich City as Million Manhoef levelled the game at a goal apiece on the stroke of half time, before hosting Bristol City on Tuesday and being pegged back to share the spoils by a Nahki Wells brace after Lewis Koumas and Andrew Moran had them 2-0 up early on.
While they will be left disappointed having failed to convert that lead into a fourth league win of the season, Pelach's men do appear to be growing in confidence, and now only trailing the top half by two points, they will bid to make it five games unbeaten with a return to winning ways to quickly scale the division.
Team News
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Sheffield United head into the weekend without key midfielder Gustavo Hamer, who is suspended after being shown a fifth yellow card of the season against Middlesbrough, although Vinicius Souza will return from his own suspension and rejoin Oliver Arblaster in the engine room.
Chris Wilder may opt to make other alterations from Wednesday's defeat, with Harrison Burrows likely to displace Sam McCallum and rejoin Harry Souttar, Anel Ahmedhodzic and Alfie Gilchrist in a back four.
Tyrese Campbell and Andre Brooks will compete to start in attacking spots after Rhian Brewster, Callum O'Hare and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi supported lone front man Kieffer Moore at the Riverside Stadium.
Stoke City continue to contend with several injury issues heading into the weekend, with striker Sam Gallagher not yet ready to return to the starting XI, while key midfielder Wouter Burger is confined to the treatment room alongside Lynden Gooch, Ben Pearson, Bosun Lawal and Ryan Mmaee.
Narcis Pelach may opt to deploy an unchanged team from Tuesday's draw with Bristol City, with Tom Cannon bound to again lead the line in Gallagher's absence having scored all four of his Championship goals this season in their thrashing of Portsmouth at the beginning of the month.
He will have support from Bae Junho, Lewis Koumas and Million Manhoef, while Andrew Moran and Jordan Thompson will continue their partnership in the midfield.
Sheffield United possible starting lineup:
Cooper; Gilchrist, Souttar, Ahmedhodzic, Burrows; Souza, Arblaster; Rak-Sakyi, O'Hare, Brooks; Moore
Stoke City possible starting lineup:
Johansson; Wilmot, Rose, Gibson, Bocat; Thompson, Moran; Manhoef, Koumas, Junho; Cannon
We say: Sheffield United 1-0 Stoke City
Sheffield United's confidence will certainly have taken a dent after consecutive defeats ended their strong start to the campaign, but the Blades' strong defensive record, particularly at home, should see them to a return to winning ways at the weekend.
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Sam Varley
