Sheffield United v Sunderland: Defences on top as high-flyers clash

• Sheff Utd's formidable Bramall Lane record

• Sunderland have lost just twice under Regis Le Bris

• Pair have collectively kept 21/34 (62%) Championship clean sheets

Sheffield United v Sunderland
Friday November 29, 20:00
Live on Sky Sports

Sheff Utd march on

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder insists the Blades will be able to cope with their quick turnaround of three games in the space of six days this week despite describing his side's schedule as "ridiculous." United beat Oxford 3-0 at Bramall Lane on Tuesday night and are back to host fellow promotion-chasers Sunderland here on Friday evening.

Callum O'Hare, Tyrese Campbell and Jesuran Rak-Sakyi all scored in Sheff Utd's seventh successive home victory without conceding with Wilder saying, "It's Tuesday night and little bit cold and you are playing a team that everybody expects you to win, you've got to get the job done and we did. We made it comfortable by being clinical and showing that mentality."

Wilder shuffled his pack in midweek, with Femi Seriki and Sam McCallum coming in for Alfie Gilchrist and Harrison Burrows, with the manager given plenty to ponder. The former impressed from right-back on his first start of the season and could keep his place here with Anel Ahmedhodzic continuing his suspension, whilst Oliver Arblaster remains injured.

Sunderland held at home

Sunderland supremo Regis Le Bris admitted frustration was the overriding emotion but said there were signs that his team are heading in the right direction after overseeing a goalless stalemate with West Brom on Tuesday night. It was the Black Cats' fifth successive draw, a result that dropped the Wearsiders outside of the top-two for the first time this term.

Trai Hume, Patrick Roberts and Jobe Bellingham all returned to the starting XI, and Sunderland had the best of the second half after a drab opening 45 minutes, with Wilson Isidor having a goal ruled out for offside. Le Bris admits his side didn't manage the frustration of the game well enough but said their errors were a matter of very small details.

Speaking post-match, Le Bris said: "I am frustrated and disappointed. That was the feeling in the dressing room at the end of the game. In possession, we were dominant. We had three or four chances to score, and we didn't. There was a lack of accuracy and sometimes discipline, and many small details can make the difference. Today it wasn't enough."

Blades give little away at Bramall Lane

Sheffield United hold the supremacy edge on Sunderland in head-to-head league showdowns this century (W5-D0-L3) with the bulk of that damage done in recent years. The Blades beat the Black Cats by the same 2-1 scoreline in home and away dates in 2022/23, and have taken top honours against the Wearsiders in each of the last four league meetings.

Sheffield United 2.0621/20 have posted W5-D1-L0 across their last six Championship contests with the Blades providing particularly fearsome at their Bramall Lane base this term (W6-D1-L0). Chris Wilder's crew have kept six home clean sheets on the spin in league action, giving up an average of just 0.50 Expected Goals (xG) per-game in front of their own fans.

After winning six of their opening eight encounters, Sunderland's 3.711/4 promotion aspirations have stalled. The Black Cats are unbeaten in nine, though Regis Le Bris' boys have been plagued by draws (W3-D6-L0), whilst also firing blanks in three of their last five fixtures. The visitors have overachieved according to the underlying data this term.

Close contest forecast

Both Sheffield United and Sunderland have been amongst the division's leaders for keeping opposition teams quiet. The pair have kept 11 and 10 Championship clean sheets respectively, meaning the Blades and Black Cats have combined to silence 21 (62%) of their 34 opponents - such formidable rearguards points to a close, low-scoring contest here.

Unsurprisingly, the duo have returned consistently profitable Both Teams To Score 'No' selections where a repeat can be snapped-up at a tasty 20/231.87. Together, the two teams have seen this wager pay-out in 23 (68%) of those aforementioned 34 dates, including seven of eight at Bramall Lane. The 20/231.87 suggests there's just a 53% chance of a repeat.

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