Championship news: Bristol City vs Sheffield United - Five key battles and score prediction
Bristol City welcomes Sheffield United to Ashton Gate for the first leg of their Championship playoff semi-final on Thursday.
Both teams finished sixth and third in the Championship respectively, with the Blades being contenders for automatic promotion, but fell short to the valiant efforts of Leeds United and Burnley.
Sports News Blitz writer - and Leeds Utd fan Maddie Newton assesses the playoff clash and the five key battles to decide the outcome.
Michael Cooper vs Nahki Wells
One key area in Sheffield United’s success this season has been the goalkeeping abilities of Michael Cooper, who joined the club in August 2024.
Cooper became first-choice goalkeeper, and maintained 21 clean sheets, as did Leeds United’s Illan Meslier for the Golden Glove award.
Both finished second in the clean sheet standings.
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Furthermore, Nahki Wells has been an excellent attacker and a regular within the starting 11 at Bristol City.
Wells has contributed 10 goals and four assists this season, making him the second-highest scorer for the team.
It will be interesting to see how Wells troubles his opponents up front, and how Cooper deals with the potential threat he offers.
Gustavo Hamer vs Jason Knight
Both Gustavo Hamer and Jason Knight have been praised for their performances in midfield throughout this season.
Hamer, who won the Championship Player of the Season award, has dominated midfields and caused havoc against teams, both defensively and on attack.
With nine goals and seven assists this season, Hamer will be looking to further this tally and give Sheffield United the advantage.
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However, Knight, who has been vital for Bristol City this season, will be determined to nullify the effect that Hamer has in the Blades’ attack.
The battle of the midfield will be one to watch on the day.
Home crowd vs away support
Bristol City will have one major advantage over Sheffield United in the first leg: playing at home.
At Ashton Road this season, Bristol City have seen 13 wins and seven draws, and have only lost three matches.
Sheffield United have decent away form, winning 12, drawing four but losing six.
With their home form alongside the support of their fans, Bristol City will have a major advantage on the day against Sheffield United.
Anis Mehmeti vs Rhian Brewster
Both Anis Mehmeti for Bristol City, and Rhian Brewster for Sheffield United, have been brilliant options for their respective teams this season.
They have both excelled in their performances, despite most of their appearances being as substitutions.
Mehmeti has made his mark on Bristol City, as their highest scorer with 12 goals.
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Brewster, however, has only scored four goals, but has provided three assists.
Both players have a role to play in this match, whether from the bench or starting.
Chris Wilder vs Liam Manning
Both managers will be highlighted leading up to the match, whether that be team selection, tactics or press comments.
Rumours are circling about Liam Manning and his future at Bristol City, with relegated Premier League outfit Leicester City considering a move for him.
With these rumours circulating, Manning has the chance to prove his loyalty to Bristol City in this game.
Following Sheffield United’s recent drop in form which saw them miss out on automatic promotion, Wilder has stated in the press conference that his team’s style of play will not change, and that they will attack Bristol City, rather than sit back and defend.
Both managers have something to prove in this match, and will hope to go into the second leg with an advantage over the other.
Score prediction: Bristol City 2-1 Sheffield United
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