Sheffield United entertain Bristol City this evening
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Blades Eye Wembley: Sheffield United Look to Finish the Job Against Bristol City
Championship Playoff Semi-Final 2nd Leg
📅 Monday, 12 May 2025
🕗 8:00 PM (UK Time)
🏟 Bramall Lane
There’s something gloriously British about a team turning up to the second leg of a playoff semi-final with a three-goal cushion and pretending it’s still all to play for. Sheffield United, however, may be forgiven for having one and a half eyes on Wembley after their ruthless 3-0 dismantling of Bristol City in Thursday’s first leg at Ashton Gate.
Let’s be honest – barring a footballing miracle from the visitors, the Blades look destined for a Championship playoff final showdown. But with the unpredictable nature of these end-of-season clashes – and an excellent £30 free bet bonus from leading bookmaker William Hill to soften the nerves – anything’s possible. Allegedly.
From Wobble to Winning Ways: Sheffield United’s Promotion Pursuit
Sheffield United ended the regular Championship season with a rather admirable haul of 90 points from their 46 matches – not that it got them automatic promotion, mind. A bit of a blip, with four defeats in five matches, saw them drop out of the top two and let Burnley and Leeds slip past them like sneaky last-minute shoppers.
Credit where it’s due, though: they did steady the ship with a draw and a win to finish off the league campaign, and then came that first leg. A demolition job, really. They put the Robins to the sword with goals from Harrison Burrows, Andre Brooks, and Callum O’Hare – the latter probably still basking in the glow of scoring just minutes after entering the fray.
Burrows bagged his just before half-time, aided by Rob Dickie’s clumsy intervention which earned him an early bath and left Bristol City’s hopes clinging by a thread. And by thread, we mean an old fraying shoelace.
Dominance and Deja Vu: Blades’ Record Over Bristol City
Thursday’s romp extended Sheffield United’s excellent unbeaten run against Bristol City to an impressive eight matches, with six of those ending in victory for the Blades. It was also their third straight win on the road in this fixture, which makes Monday’s home encounter look less like a challenge and more like an opportunity to book a decent hotel near Wembley.
Chris Wilder’s men have only lost four of their 23 home games in the league this season, with just one defeat in their last six at Bramall Lane. They’ll fancy their chances of extending that form here – especially given how toothless City looked once down to ten.
Bristol City’s Mountain to Climb (In Slippers, Uphill, in the Rain…)
As for the Robins, they’re facing a daunting task. Their last top-flight season came back in the 1970s, and their bid to return after 45 long years may be on hold for just a little longer.
Liam Manning’s side did admirably to claw their way into the top six, notching 17 wins and 17 draws in the process. But a wobbly finish – defeats to Luton and Leeds followed by a 2-2 draw with Preston – hinted that momentum had deserted them at just the wrong time.
That winless run is now four matches, with Thursday’s defeat not only putting them firmly behind the eight-ball but also ending their strong home form. To make matters worse, their away record in the Championship is, well, quite average: just one win from their last 15 league games on the road. Not exactly the sort of stat to strike fear into Sheffield hearts.
And for those of a superstitious nature, their last win at Bramall Lane was in March 2019. So not recent, then.
Team News: Who’s In, Who’s Out?
Sheffield United will be without Ollie Arblaster and Rhys Norrington-Davies, both presumably watching from the stands with a warm drink. Harry Clarke has already headed back to Ipswich Town with a foot injury – perhaps not the farewell he’d hoped for.
But there’s a bit of good news: Femi Seriki, Ben Brereton Diaz and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi will all be back in the mix after missing the first leg. O’Hare, the impact sub extraordinaire from Thursday night, is knocking loudly on the door for a starting place. One suspects Wilder might heed the knock.
As for the expected XI? Picture Wes Foderingham (Cooper) between the sticks, with a back three of Hamza Choudhury, Anel Ahmedhodzic, and Jack Robinson. Burrows will keep his spot after scoring midweek. In midfield, expect to see a blend of youth and grit with O’Hare, Ollie Peck, Vini Souza and the sprightly James Hamer patrolling the centre. Up front, Kieffer Moore and young gun Louie Marsh (or Campbell if he’s fit) should carry the fight.
Bristol City, meanwhile, have more than a few headaches. Ayman Benarous, Luke McNally and Mark Sykes are all out, and Joe Williams looks set to join the casualty list after limping off early in the first leg. His absence could shuffle the deck, with Max Bird likely dropping deeper and George Earthy getting a nod as one of the advanced midfielders.
Rob Dickie’s red card also means he’s suspended, with Haydon Roberts the likely deputy in a backline that’ll be praying for divine intervention.
Expect Max O’Leary to stand firm in goal, with George Tanner and Zak Vyner joining Roberts in a three-man defence. Yutaro Hirakawa, Jason Knight, Bird, and Ross McCrorie should feature in midfield, with Earthy and Anis Mehmeti supporting Nahki Wells up top.
Prediction: Blades to Seal Wembley Berth with Style (or at Least Substance)
Bristol City, bless them, will be dreaming of an early goal, perhaps two before the break, and a rousing team talk involving cups of tea and vague Churchillian sentiment. But in reality, Sheffield United are too streetwise, too composed, and simply too good at home to let this one slip.
They’ve got the form, the firepower, and the momentum. Bristol, on the other hand, have travel sickness and a mountain of injuries. Not exactly a recipe for playoff glory.
We reckon it’ll finish Sheffield United 2-1 Bristol City, with the hosts doing just enough to keep the Robins at bay and ease into the final.
For those partial to a flutter, this one could be a tidy fixture to explore some in-play markets or take advantage of those cheeky bookmaker offers. William Hill’s free bet bonus for new customers of Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets, which might just make Monday night’s viewing all the more interesting.
And who knows, you might even be able to afford a cheeky half-time pie and Bovril.
Verdict:
Sheffield United 2-1 Bristol City
The Blades march on, and barring some outrageous late drama, they should be packing their Wembley bags by Monday night.
