Sheffield United vs Preston North End

EFL Championship Matchweek 36 - Saturday 8th March 2025 - 15:00 - Bramall Lane
Please keep all discussion related to the match within this thread.

Player Ratings:
Matchday Stats/Player Ratings - https://www.s24su.com/forum/match-day/match/sheffield-united-vs-preston-north-end.733/

Officials:

Referee: John Busby
Assistants: Mark Russell and Hristo Karaivanov
Fourth Official: Ross Joyce

Coverage:

Follow via S24SU Twitter: https://twitter.com/s24su
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@s24su
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s24su/

Need a VPN? - https://www.s24su.com/forum/threads/vpn-usage.87094/

Live TV Coverage:

SUTV (in Unsold Markets or Non-Televised in UK): https://www.sufc.co.uk/live/
​

 

[KOPPO]

sufc 4 pne 0..campbell.cannon,diaz, rak sakyi.its a rout we will be just to strong for them we blades will get 3 points no probs,we will hammer them and a great lane home win..utb..forza sufc for life..have a nice saturday great blades fans...utb,,chow..from kop pal pasta man..

 

[jono_t2000]

From ChatGPT;


Match Overview:

• Date & Time: Saturday, March 8, 2025, at 18:00
• Venue: Bramall Lane, Sheffield

Team Form & Standings:

• Sheffield United:
  
  • Position: 2nd in the Championship with 73 points from 35 matches
  • Recent Form: Four wins in their last five league games, including a 2-1 victory over QPR in their most recent match
  • Goals Scored: 50
  • Goals Conceded: 27
  • Home Performance: Strong, with a consistent record of securing points at Bramall Lane
• Preston North End:
  
  • Position: 15th in the Championship with 43 points from 35 matches
  • Recent Form: Winless in their last four league outings, with a goalless draw against Swansea City in their latest game
  • Goals Scored: 36
  • Goals Conceded: 41
  • Away Performance: Struggling, with only three wins in 17 away matches this season

Head-to-Head Statistics:

• Sheffield United are unbeaten in their last eight encounters against Preston North End
• The Blades have won their previous three meetings against Preston, each by a margin of two or more goals
• Recent matches at Bramall Lane between these teams have typically featured over 2.5 goals

Key Players to Watch:

• Sheffield United:
  
  • Ben Brereton Díaz: A forward known for his goal-scoring prowess and ability to exploit defensive gaps
  • Tyrese Campbell: A winger with pace and creativity, contributing significantly to the team's attacking dynamics
  • Gustavo Hamer: A midfielder who has been influential in controlling the tempo and providing key passes
• Preston North End:
  
  • Will Keane: The team's leading striker, capable of converting limited opportunities into goals
  • Sam Greenwood: An attacking midfielder with a knack for creating chances and testing goalkeepers from distance

Injury Concerns:

• Sheffield United:
  
  • Ollie Arblaster: Ruled out due to a knee injury
• Preston North End:
  
  • Duane Holmes (leg), Jack Whatmough (calf), Jordan Storey (leg), and Ben Whiteman (ankle): All sidelined due to injuries

Tactical Analysis:

• Sheffield United: Expected to dominate possession, utilizing their attacking depth to press high and create scoring opportunities. Their defensive solidity has been a cornerstone of their success this season
• Preston North End: Likely to adopt a cautious approach, focusing on defensive organization and aiming to exploit counter-attacking opportunities. Their recent struggles suggest potential vulnerabilities, especially against high-pressing teams

Prediction:


Considering the current form, head-to-head record, and tactical setups:

• Most Probable Scoreline: Sheffield United 2-0 Preston North End
• Potential Goal Scorers for Sheffield United:
  • Ben Brereton Díaz: Given his recent form and goal-scoring capabilities
  • Tyrese Campbell: His ability to break through defenses makes him a likely candidate to score

This analysis aligns with recent trends and the statistical data available for both teams

 

[Revolution]

I can’t link people’s comments about PNE in this thread with how good PNE actually appear to be.

 

[Bell4]

Gilchrist and T Davies also out. Seriki could be okay I think

WTF is wrong with TD now ? Made of bloody glass

 

[sheff_blade90]

just saying on shoutbox. how weird is this coincidence. that wilder's 1st return to the lane as opposition manager following his sacking. took place on 8th march 2022. & Hecky's 1st return to the lane as opposition manager following his sacking is today 8th march 2025

 

[Harry's Game]

Today sees the start of what I believe to be a run of 4 season defining games

Preston
Bristol
Wednesday
Coventry

All tough looking games .. if we can come out of that 4 still above Burnley in the table we are in with a great chance of autos

Conversely loose a couple of them and it’s looking like play offs.

Be up for it Blades.

 

[Thrice]

Potential banana skin game. The only game they've lost against one of the top 4 this year so far was against us and that was pre-Hecky.
Could be one of those first goal wins games.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Today sees the start of what I believe to be a run of 4 season defining games

Preston
Bristol
Wednesday
Coventry

All tough looking games .. if we can come out of that 4 still above Burnley in the table we are in with a great chance of autos

Conversely loose a couple of them and it’s looking like play offs.

Be up for it Blades.

Burnley also have tricky games and there's perhaps a chance to widen the gap if we do win games

 

[bakeblade]

No Fan Zone yet

View attachment 205649

Perfect day for the fanzone

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

just saying on shoutbox. how weird is this coincidence. that wilder's 1st return to the lane as opposition manager following his sacking. took place on 8th march 2022. & Hecky's 1st return to the lane as opposition manager following his sacking is today 8th march 2025

View attachment 205704

May the coincidence continue!

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Preston North End are a great historic football club, the club of Tom Finney and Chris Sedgwick and that says it all about what an incredibly unbelievably difficult game this is going to be. They have a phenomenal solid bunch of lads and I only wish our lads were as solid as them. And what a top top manager Hecky is. We've got our hands full getting a point from this one

Chris hasn't done Lancashire yet. Next job when Leeds sack him.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Last time out v PNE at home. 4 1 stroll after promotion sealed v WBA.
Cheers Hecky.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Today sees the start of what I believe to be a run of 4 season defining games

Preston
Bristol
Wednesday
Coventry

All tough looking games .. if we can come out of that 4 still above Burnley in the table we are in with a great chance of autos

Conversely loose a couple of them and it’s looking like play offs.

Be up for it Blades.

Hecky slipped up v Boro but stormed back to seal promotion. Chris can do it , seeing Hull as the rotten apple of home games.

 

[jono_t2000]

Last time out v PNE at home. 4 1 stroll after promotion sealed v WBA.
Cheers Hecky.

So last time we played Preston at home it was a 4-1 win.

Last time we had a previous manager returning to Bramall Lane it was a 4-1 win.

Hmmmm

 

[United Aren't Back.]

So last time we played Preston at home it was a 4-1 win.

Last time we had a previous manager returning to Bramall Lane it was a 4-1 win.

Hmmmm

Hecky thumping Boro.

 

[jono_t2000]

 

[Champagneblade]

sufc 4 pne 0..campbell.cannon,diaz, rak sakyi.its a rout we will be just to strong for them we blades will get 3 points no probs,we will hammer them and a great lane home win..utb..forza sufc for life..have a nice saturday great blades fans...utb,,chow..from kop pal pasta man..

I’ll have some of what you’re drinking matey

I’ll accept a scruffy 1-0 off Stuart McCall’s beer can!

 

[jono_t2000]

Should really be rolling these over. Even more injuries now, no Osmajic even

 

[3Cheers4Ramirez]

Holding's incredible cost per start shoots up yet again.....

It looks like Wilder is going full strength here and rotating v Bristol ahead of the derby

We'll want to have this won at 1-0 by 60 minutes, then hang on and invite as much pressure as possible to keep us fresh

 

[Shadota]

Happy with the unchanged side. Would have liked us to have Seriki starting, but if he's not ready then it's better to not risk him.

Quite interesting to look at the side selected for the opening day and compare.

5 players started the reverse fixture who do not do so today (Adam Davies, Gilchrist, Brooks, Blaster, Moore), and 4 subs are not at the club now (Grbic, Coulibaly, Ben Slimane, Trusty. Souttar was also on the bench. It's incredible how much change there has been in just 7 months.

 

[Frank the tank]

Holding's incredible cost per start shoots up yet again.....

It looks like Wilder is going full strength here and rotating v Bristol ahead of the derby

We'll want to have this won at 1-0 by 60 minutes, then hang on and invite as much pressure as possible to keep us fresh

You ever thought about a career as a gag writer
I hear les Dennis is on the look out

 

[Alex Cheeseright]

Choudhury at rb again....hope BBD helps him out otherwise it'll be a tough watch when they attack down their left over and over again. Can see a high scoring game today...4-3 Blades

 

[Cappy]

 

[MiserableBlader]

I hope we give Hecky a decent welcome.

Can see Wilder giving him a commemorative statue

of Brutus stabbing Julius Caesar in the back just to rub sallt in the wounds
Or perhaps some images from the vagina monologues to depict himself.

 

[Cappy]

Hamer LW, BBD RW in warmup

 

[MiserableBlader]

Sh! team and tactics as always.
SO predictable.
If Hecky CANNOT exploit Wilders manifold weaknesses he is not much better.
However he did NOT see the need to modify tactics (quick enough) after losing two key players last year.
1. Choudhury parasite player.
2. OHare lightweight muppet.
Should be nowhere near team unless in extremis.
Two key players
HAMER (wide left)
BBD wide not central up front.
out of position no doubt.

No width when two outstanding left wingers/siders sat on bench Brooks and Jesus (although print is so small FFS)

Can someone explain to me why partly fit players - even in same position - can only END the game when the clog is dished out re risk of two booking rather than the start which are often fencing matches.
Especially when we have pre-picked subs at 60 minutes every game anyway!

Fluky win as most weeks will do fine. For now.

ps - do NOT like warm sunny afternoons for football but it should not make a difference
re 1. Perfect watered pitches
2. We never try to attack anyway just endlessly play out time at the back.
3. They played midweek - we did not.

 

[Uganda Blade]

Hamer LW, BBD RW in warmup

It'll be interesting to see how fluid the three AMs are, in a positional/tactical sense, as that could be the key to unlocking a stubborn defence.

 

[Aston max]

Sh! team and tactics as always.
SO predictable.
If Hecky CANNOT exploit Wilders manifold weaknesses he is not much better.
However he did NOT see the need to modify tactics (quick enough) after losing two key players last year.
1. Choudhury parasite player.
2. OHare lightweight muppet.
Should be nowhere near team unless in extremis.
Two key players
HAMER (wide left)
BBD wide not central up front.
out of position no doubt.

No width when two outstanding left wingers/siders sat on bench Brooks and Jesus (although print is so small FFS)

Can someone explain to me why partly fit players - even in same position - can only END the game when the clog is dished out re risk of two booking rather than the start which are often fencing matches.
Especially when we have pre-picked subs at 60 minutes every game anyway!

Fluky win as most weeks will do fine. For now.

ps - do NOT like warm sunny afternoons for football but it should not make a difference
re 1. Perfect watered pitches
2. We never try to attack anyway just endlessly play out time at the back.
3. They played midweek - we did not.

Afternoon Neil

 

[BangorBlade]

There's gonna be no easy games between now and the end of the season, no margins for error, but Wilder's Blades just have a knack of finding away of getting results.
UTB ️️

 

[Aston max]

11 wins