Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Championship clash between Sheffield United and Bristol City, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
In a replay of last season’s playoff semi-final, Sheffield United and Bristol City will kick off their Championship campaigns with a contest at Bramall Lane on Saturday.
The two sides both head into new eras, with Ruben Selles now at the helm for the hosts and Gerhard Struber taking the reins for the visitors, who will hope to avenge their playoff loss.
Match preview
Sheffield United will kick off their second straight Championship season with their first competitive outing under the management of Ruben Selles on Saturday, having fallen at the final hurdle in their bid to return to the Premier League last time around.
After suffering relegation from the top flight, the Blades ended last season in third spot, having overcome a two-point deduction to finish on 90 courtesy of 28 victories alongside just 10 defeats.
They booked a spot at Wembley with a 6-0 aggregate triumph over Saturday’s visitors, winning 3-0 in each leg, but, then under the management of Chris Wilder, they were unable to go all the way, leading Sunderland in the final through Tyrese Campbell only for Eliezer Mayenda to level the scores and Tom Watson to net a 95th-minute winner for their opponents.
That loss spelled the end of Chris Wilder’s second tenure in the Blades hot seat, and they have since turned to Ruben Selles to lead their bid to go on better and return to the top flight this time around.
The new boss will now bid to oversee a winning start at Bramall Lane on Saturday as Sheffield United seek to immediately establish themselves as frontrunners in the Championship.
In their way stand another side kicking off a new era and one who will again hope to stage a top-six bid in the 2025-26 term.
Bristol City enjoyed an improved Championship campaign last time around, breaking the top six in England’s second tier for the first time since 2008 under the management of Liam Manning having earned 68 points from their 46 outings.
That run was ended in their 6-0 aggregate beating to Sheffield United in May, and the Robins would go on to see Manning depart for Norwich City over the summer.
Now aiming to build on their first playoff finish since being back in the Championship, Bristol City head into the new term under the new management of Gerhard Struber with the hopes of kicking off with a major scalp and impressive away victory to avenge the playoff thrashing.
Sheffield United pre-season form:
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Bristol City pre-season form:
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Team News
Sheffield United head into the new term with some changes to the side that finished third last time around, with key men Anel Ahmedhodzic and Vinicius Souza having departed over the summer alongside Kieffer Moore and Rhian Brewster.
Ruben Selles has strengthened his new squad with the additions of defender Tyler Bindon, midfielder Djibril Soumare and winger Louie Barry, though, and they will all compete to earn competitive debuts on Saturday.
Midfielders Oliver Arblaster, Tom Davies and Jamie Shackleton will continue enforced absences through injuries, while star man Gustavo Hamer may return to the engine room alongside Sydie Peck to accommodate Barry on the left flank.
Bristol City have arguably undergone fewer changes over the summer, with Nahki Wells the only notable departure from the squad that went into the 2024-25 playoffs.
Emil Riis Jakobsen has arrived after his Preston North End exit, and the forward, who managed 12 Championship goals last season, could lead their line from the outset on Saturday with support from Yu Hirakawa, Scott Twine and Anis Mehmeti.
Defender Luke McNally will continue to miss out due to a long-term injury, meaning Rob Dickie and Zak Vyner should continue to play key roles at the back heading into the new campaign, while midfielders Joe Williams and Max Bird will not return from injury layoffs in time to feature.
Sheffield United possible starting lineup:
Cooper; Seriki, Bindon, Robinson, Burrows; Peck, Hamer; Barry, Hamer; Campbell, Cannon
Bristol City possible starting lineup:
Vitek; Dickie, Vyner, Tanner; McCrorie, Knight, Randell, Hirakawa; Twine, Riis, Mehmeti
We say: Sheffield United 1-0 Bristol City
Sheffield United’s squad has taken several hits over the summer, but the Blades still boast plenty of quality in their ranks and should carry their fine home record into the new season, particularly in defence.
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