Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship clash between Sheffield United and Derby County, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Aiming to leap back out of the Championship relegation zone, Sheffield United will take on Derby County at Bramall Lane on Saturday.
A loss last time out saw the hosts drop back down to 22nd spot, while their visitors have climbed up to 17th spot with consecutive victories.
Match preview
Sheffield United return to action at Bramall Lane on Saturday aiming to bounce back to winning ways and finally kickstart a climb up the Championship table.
After falling short of Premier League promotion at the final hurdle last time around, the Blades have endured a dismal start to the new term, currently sitting in the bottom three having only earned nine points from their first 12 games.
Following the summer appointment of Ruben Selles and quick return of Chris Wilder to the dugout, the Blades headed into the October international break with just three points from nine matches, having suffered eight defeats, but they looked to have found their groove on their return, bouncing back with consecutive wins over Watford and Blackburn Rovers.
Then aiming to make it three on the bounce and continue a rise away from the drop zone, they visited Preston North End on Friday and led 2-0 through Andre Brooks and Callum O'Hare, only to leave empty-handed as Lewis Dobbin and a Japhet Tanganga own goal drew the ghosts level and Daniel Jebbison snatched all three points.
Now sitting 22nd after 12 games in a season in which they would have expected another sustained promotion bid, Sheffield United will be desperate to kickstart a winning run at Bramall Lane on Saturday.
They face a tough test, though, as the visitors arrive having moved clear of the bottom three with back-to-back wins of their own.
Kicking off their first full season under the management of John Eustace after a 19th-placed Championship finish last time around, Derby County experienced a slow start, having headed into the October break on just eight points from nine matches.
Those games produced a single victory alongside three defeats, and the Rams would again fall short on their return to action, losing 1-0 to Oxford United to extend a winless run to five matches.
Eustace's men have bounced back with a pair of one-goal triumphs of their own since, though, firstly seeing off Norwich City thanks to a David Ozoh goal before Carlton Morris got on the scoresheet in the opening 10 minutes of a 1-0 triumph over Queens Park Rangers at the weekend.
Now sitting 17th in England's second tier having built up a five-point lead over Saturday's hosts, Derby County head to Bramall Lane on Saturday aiming to add to last week's home wins and climb further towards the top half.
Sheffield United Championship form:
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Derby County Championship form:
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Team News
Sheffield United will remain without defender Ben Godfrey, and midfielders Tahith Chong, Tom Davies, Oliver Arblaster and Gustavo Hamer on Saturday.
Tyrese Campbell should again lead the attack with support from Andre Brooks and key man Callum O'Hare, who netted his third league goal of the season last time out, despite competition from Danny Ings and Tom Cannon.
Elsewhere, Djibril Soumare may rejoin Sydie Peck in midfield after Jairo Riedewald earned a first start last time out, while Ben Mee, Mark McGuinness and captain Japhet Tanganga will continue in a back three.
John Eustace may opt to field an unchanged Derby County starting XI from last week's victory, with Owen Beck, Curtis Nelson and Lewis Travis remaining sidelined.
Carlton Morris remains a key man in attack, having netted his fifth league goal of the season last time out, while Bobby Clark, Patrick Agyemang, Andreas Weimann and former Blades duo Rhian Brewster and Ben Brereton Diaz will also compete for starts.
Elsewhere, David Ozoh and Sondre Langas will hope to continue their partnership in midfield, despite competition from the returning Ebou Adams, while Dion Sanderson and Matt Clarke will line up at the back following consecutive clean sheets.
Sheffield United possible starting lineup:
Cooper; Tanganga, McGuinness, Mee; Ogbene, Peck, Soumare, Burrows; O'Hare, Campbell, Brooks
Derby County possible starting lineup:
Zetterstrom; Johnston, Sanderson, Clarke, Elder; Ozoh, Langas; Clark, Morris, Brereton Diaz; Agyemang
We say: Sheffield United 2-1 Derby County
Sheffield United certainly face a tough test on Saturday, with the visitors having seen out back-to-back wins, but we back the Blades to get back to winning ways on home turf.
Despite last Friday's setback, Wilder's men appear to be kicking into gear after their poor start and we see them making it three wins from four since the October break.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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