EFL Championship | Gameweek 43

Apr 18, 2025 at 5.30pm UK

Bramall Lane

Sheff Utd vs Cardiff

Match preview

Sheffield United return to action on Friday looking to keep alive their slim hopes of automatic promotion from the Championship this season, having seen their hopes of reaching the top two hit a major blow in recent weeks.

After returning from the March international break with a 3-1 home win over Coventry City to extend their unbeaten run to five games, four of which were victories, the Blades went top of the second tier with 83 points from 40 games, with only a two-point deduction keeping them ahead of Leeds United and Burnley.

Chris Wilder's side had won 26 and lost just six of those 40 games and were two points clear of the chasing pack at that stage, but they have since failed to add to their tally in three crucial games, firstly at Oxford United, where Siriki Dembele scored the only goal of the first half.

Millwall then visited Bramall Lane and came away with all three points thanks to a lone goal from Josh Coburn, before the Blades last travelled to bottom side Plymouth Argyle on Saturday and again came away empty-handed despite taking the lead through Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, as Ryan Hardie equalised in the 81st minute and Muhamed Tijani fired the hosts to a 2-1 win in the 89th minute.

Now five points behind Leeds and Burnley with four games remaining and a trip to the latter looming on Monday, Sheffield United will be looking to get back to winning ways on Friday and move back within touching distance of the automatic promotion places if other results go their way.

The visitors, meanwhile, travel to South Yorkshire desperate for three points in their battle at the other end of the English second tier.

With four games remaining in their sixth Championship campaign, Cardiff City are 22nd in the table with 42 points, having lost 18 and won just nine of their 42 games.

Indeed, the Bluebirds have taken just one win and six points from their last eight outings since the start of March, with their only victory coming at Blackburn Rovers last month.

Three successive draws against Sheffield Wednesday, Queens Park Rangers and Preston North End followed after the March international break, but they were unable to extend their unbeaten run to five games on Saturday as they hosted Stoke City and went down 1-0, with Will Fish's own goal five minutes from time proving the only difference.

Cardiff City, who now sit a point adrift of safety and three behind 20th-placed Hull City, will be hoping to boost their survival hopes with a big scalp at Bramall Lane.

Recent Performance

Sheffield United Championship form:DWWLLL

Cardiff City Championship form:LWDDDL

Team News

Chris Wilder made five changes to his Sheffield United starting XI for last weekend's trip to Plymouth Argyle, and there could be more to come after a third successive defeat, with Tom Davies, Oliver Arblaster and Rhys Norrington-Davies all sidelined through injury.

Tom Cannon, who has yet to open his account for the club since joining in January, will face competition up front from Kieffer Moore and Tyrese Campbell, who leads the Championship with 10 goals this season.

Behind a lone striker, Callum O'Hare, Gustavo Hamer and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi will be hoping to continue to provide support despite competition from Rhian Brewster and Ben Brereton Diaz, while Vinicius Souza and Harry Clarke were fit to start in midfield and defence respectively last time out after injury lay-offs and will be hoping to make their second consecutive starts on Friday.

Cardiff City have a number of injury concerns ahead of Friday's trip, with goalkeeper Jak Alnwick, midfielders Andy Rinomhota, Aaron Ramsey and Joe Ralls, and winger Anwar El Ghazi all in the treatment room.

Yousef Salek will be partnered up front by former Sheffield United man Callum Robinson, who has scored five league goals since arriving in January and has 12 Championship goals to his name this season.

Elsewhere, Calum Chambers should continue in midfield alongside Alex Robertson and 19-year-old Leicester City loanee Will Alves, while Perry Ng, Will Fish and Jesper Daland will once again form a back three.

Possible starting lineup

Sheffield United possible starting lineup:

Cooper; Clarke, Ahmedhodzic, Robinson, McCallum; Souza, Peck; Rak-Sakyi, O'Hare, Hamer; Campbell

Cardiff City possible starting lineup:

Horvath; Ng, Fish, Daland; Ashford, Robertson, Chambers, Alves, O'Dowda; Salech, Robinson