Preview: Blackburn Rovers vs Sheffield United - prediction, team news, lineups

Both on the back of unbeaten starts to the Championship season, Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United will meet in the EFL Cup second round at Ewood Park on Tuesday.

The two teams got past third-tier opposition to reach this stage with the hosts winning at Burton Albion and the visitors cruising past Mansfield Town.

Match preview

Blackburn Rovers head into their fourth game of the 2026-27 season on Tuesday aiming to progress to the third round of the EFL Cup.

They came into the campaign under returning manager Tony Mowbray, who was handed the reins after their survival under Michael O'Neill last time around, beginning with a trip to Burton Albion in the first round of the EFL Cup.

The Lancashire side secured safe passage with a dramatic 2-1 victory, trailing 1-0 until the final 10 minutes before Andri Gudjohnsen levelled and Jayden Fevrier netted an 88th-minute winner.

They have since earned four points from a tough start to their Championship campaign, beginning away at newly-promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers and drawing 2-2, conceding a late leveller from the spot, before Mowbray's men beat Middlesbrough on Saturday with Gudjohnsen again on the scoresheet alongside Todd Cantwell in another second-half turnaround.

Blackburn Roves now turn their attention back to the EFL Cup with the hopes of another victory to book their place in the third round.

In their way stand a visiting team also keen to build on a first-round victory in their season-opener.

Keen to kick on from an underwhelming 2025-26 Championship campaign which ended in a 13th-placed finish, Chris Wilder's men started 2026-27 with an EFL Cup first-round tie away at Mansfield Town and progressed with a 3-0 victory courtesy of goals from Patrick Bamford, Mark McGuinness and Callum O'Hare.

Chris Wilder's men have since kicked off their Championship campaign with a pair of goalless draws at home to Birmingham City and away at Swansea City, putting them as the only team in the division yet to score and one of just two with two clean sheets on the board.

Early-season headlines at Bramall Lane have come off the pitch, though, with ownership concerns rising and the threat of a potential points deduction looming.

Still with positives to take from three consecutive clean sheets, Sheffield United will now bid to get the better of Championship opposition and continue a run to the EFL Cup third round.

Blackburn Rovers EFL Cup form:

Blackburn Rovers form (all competitions):

W D W

Sheffield United EFL Cup form:

Sheffield United form (all competitions):

W D D

Team News

Blackburn Rovers remain unable to call on Moussa Baradji, Dion De Neve, Augustus Kargbo, Lewis Miller and Scott Wharton due to ongoing injuries.

Tony Mowbray fielded a strong starting XI for their season-opener in the first round but may opt to make some rotations on Tuesday after a positive start to the campaign, with Fevrier, who scored the decisive goal against Burton Albion, and Mathias Jorgensen likely to earn first starts of the season in attack.

Hayden Carter and Jake Garrett may also come in in defence and midfield respectively, while striker Andri Gudjohnsen could continue in attack having scored in all three of their competitive matches this term.

Sheffield United could also opt to make some changes for the second round, with midfielder Kalvin Phillips not yet fit to feature while Ryan One also missed the trip to Swansea City through injury.

Chris Wilder switched to a 3-5-2 shape for their second Championship game of the season, with Matt Doherty, Jamal Baptiste and Rhys Norrington-Davies all being options to rotate his defensive ranks.

Elsewhere, Jamie Shackleton and Jairo Riedewald could both earn first starts of the season, while Tom Cannon, Romelle Donovan and Tyrese Campbell will hope for opportunities in attack after O'Hare supported key man Patrick Bamford up top at the weekend.

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:

Toth; Alebiosu, Atcheson, Carter, Ribeiro; Garrett, Forshaw; Fevrier, Ohashi, Jorgensen; Gudjohnsen

Sheffield United possible starting lineup:

Cooper; Baptiste, McGuinness, Norrington-Davies; Doherty, Riedewald, Arblaster, Burrows; Donovan, Campbell, Cannon

We say: Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Sheffield United

Blackburn Rovers have made a strong start to life back under Tony Mowbray, and we fancy them to come out on top against a Sheffield United team who have only managed to beat Mansfield so far this season, particularly if both teams opt to rotate some key men out.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.