Sheffield United are on course to secure a spot in the Championship play-off final following a commanding 3-0 victory in the opening leg of their semi-final against Bristol City.
The pivotal moment came just before half-time when Rob Dickie of Bristol City was shown a red card, leading to goals from Harrison Burrows, Andre Brooks, and Callum O'Hare in the second half for the Blades.
Team news
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder announced on Friday that Ben Brereton Diaz, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, and Femi Seriki are all expected to feature in the upcoming clash at Bramall Lane.
Bristol City will be missing defender Dickie due to suspension, with Hayden Roberts a potential replacement after his second-half appearance in the first leg.
The stats
- Bristol City have only managed to win one of their last 15 away matches in the Championship
- Sheffield United have failed to score in just three of their home league games this season
- The Blades have kept 12 clean sheets in 23 home league matches this season
- Seven of Bristol City's last nine league games have seen three or more goals scored
- Bristol City have lost three of their last four matches
Prediction
Sheffield United had a near-perfect first leg and are likely to complete the job in the return fixture against Bristol City at Bramall Lane.
With a 3-0 lead and a strong season behind them where they finished well ahead of City, United have a significant advantage. City's poor away form further compounds their challenge, having won just one of their last 15 away games.
United have shown a solid run of form recently, with just one loss in their last six matches, and they have been strong defensively at home throughout the season.
While City managed a draw in their previous visit to Bramall Lane, their chances of overturning a 3-0 deficit seem slim, especially considering their recent struggles in front of goal.