Sheffield United vs Bristol City Prediction: Blades set for Wembley

Well, the first leg between Bristol City and Sheffield United was a pretty brutal affair wasn’t it? All of the pre-match optimism that the Robins had quickly evaporated as Rob Dickie was sent off and a penalty was awarded in the first half that Harrison Burrows duly converted. Two further goals have put the Blades surely into the final, with only the formalities of the second leg to take place on Monday night (Sky Sports Main Event, 20:00). 

That’s the game we are focusing on though, and there is still value to be had. Below you can find my Sheffield United vs Bristol City predictions. 

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Chris Wilder went direct in the away leg as he named Kieffer Moore and Tyrese Campbell up front in a 4-4-2, and it will be interesting to see if he sticks with that for the second leg. The long balls up to Moore were incredibly effective and although it was a Campbell flick-on that led to the red card for Dickie, the partnership worked well. 

Rhian Brewster has been incredibly effective on the right wing, while Gustavo Hamer continues to show his class on the left. The midfield duo of Sydie Peck and Vinicius Souza should remain untouched, while I can’t foresee any changes after a solid display from the back four. That means Hamza Choudhury should get the nod at right-back, with Jack Robinson partnering Anel Ahmedhodzic at the heart of the defence. 

Harrison Burrows converted that penalty and will continue at left-back, with fellow goalscorers Callum O’Hare and Andre Brooks pushing for starts having impressed off the bench. 

Bristol City will be without Dickie after his red card, so Haydon Roberts may start in the back three, if that is what Liam Manning chooses to play. It’s hard to see him moving away from the system that has served him so well this term, but he may throw Sinclair Armstrong into the mix from the start. 

Cam Pring may be risked for this second leg, while Joe Williams got injured and looks likely to miss out. That means George Earthy could play, with Max Bird dropping in alongside captain Jason Knight. However, needing three goals, Manning could do something unexpected.

Sheffield United vs Bristol City Odds

Sheffield United are 21/20 to win this home leg, having smashed Bristol City 3-0 at Ashton Gate. That gives them an implied win probability of 47% while a draw can be backed at 5/2. If you fancy an away win that can be backed at 13/5. 

Over 2.5 goals, which came in during that first leg is 6/5, while BTTS is 1/1. Campbell is the favourite to score first at 11/2, having scored 10 goals this term. 

Draw @ 5/2

I’ll be honest with you, I don’t love the optics of this match so would only recommend small stakes for these selections. There’s a few major factors to consider heading into the second leg. First of all, how will Sheffield United approach it? 

They are, barring disaster, already at Wembley, so there may be a level of complacency from their talented squad. You’d think that Wilder will attempt to avoid that at all costs, even hurrying his players back into the dressing room rather than letting them clap the away end after the first leg, but it has to be a factor. 

Also, Bristol City will obviously put up more of a fight with 11 men on the pitch. They performed reasonably well up until that red card, hitting the bar and having the majority of the ball. I think they can put in a creditable performance to finish the season, but I can’t see them turning this one around. I think a draw on the night offers value - as Sheffield United start to make plans for Wembley. 

Under 2.5 goals @ 4/6

I think we will get a more tepid affair than the first leg, with Sheffield United in complete control. I don’t think they will push things too much here, with Wilder instead surely targeting a clean sheet rather than more goals. They’ve got a lot of quality in their squad, but Bristol City will be determined to give a better account of themselves.

At 11 vs 11, I’m expecting a more even encounter and while Bristol City will be hoping to inject some madness into this second leg, Sheffield United will do everything in their power to slow the game down, and prevent them from creating any momentum in the tie. An early home goal could kill this off completely, but I can’t see there being more than over 2.5 goals in this one. 

Offers

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