Preview: Chesterfield vs Sheffield United - prediction, team news, lineups

In the second game of their 2026-27 pre-season preparations, Sheffield United will make the short trip to the SMH Group Stadium to take on Chesterfield on Saturday.

The Blades are gearing up for a third consecutive Championship campaign, while the hosts will play their first friendly against league opposition since their League Two playoff semi-final defeat.

Match preview

Chesterfield head into their first pre-season friendly on Saturday as they begin preparations for another League Two promotion bid after their disappointment late last season.

In their second consecutive term in England's fourth tier, they again achieved a top-seven finish to qualify for the playoffs, ending in sixth spot on 79 points from 46 matches thanks to a strong run-in.

They again failed to earn promotion through the playoffs, though, losing 1-0 to Notts County over two legs have conceded the only goal in the opening home leg.

The Spireites men then turned their focus to the new campaign with the hope of going one better at the third time of asking and continuing their climb, having begun pre-season away at Clay Cross Town at the weekend, fielding a starting XI for each half and winning 2-0 through Gunner Elliott and George McEachran.

Paul Cook's men now ramp up their preparations against second-tier opposition with the hopes of further gearing up for the opening of their charge in August.

Their visitors, meanwhile, will aim to make it back-to-back friendly wins as they build up to a third season in the Championship.

After only being denied a return to the Premier League in the Championship playoff final in 2024-25, Sheffield United experienced a disappointing campaign last time around, failing to mount another promotion bid and finishing 13th on 60 points from 46 outings.

Having ended with a final-day away win, the Blades do at least have the consolation of heading into 2026-27 with continuity under Chris Wilder, who was replaced last summer and quickly brought back to Bramall Lane after a poor start, and they made a winning start to pre-season away at Halifax Town last weekend.

Tom Cannon had the South Yorkshire side ahead, and after the hosts levelled, Wilder's men went back ahead through Tyrese Campbell before Gustavo Hamer sealed a 3-1 victory with a goal from range.

Now heading into their second friendly before meetings with Huddersfield Town and Rotherham United and a pair of trips abroad ahead of the start of the term in August, Sheffield United will look to build up their preparations in Chesterfield.

Chesterfield form (all competitions):

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Sheffield United form (all competitions):

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Team News

Chesterfield rotated throughout their game with Clay Cross Town last weekend and may again make plenty of changes during Saturday's game, with key men like Ryan Boot, Dilan Markanday, Lee Bonis, Chey Dunkley and Tom Naylor playing a half each.

Defender Jack Simpson and midfielder George McEachran both made their first appearances for the Spireites in that game, with the latter getting on the scoresheet.

Paul Cook may test two newer additions at the weekend, with defender Alfie Pond having arrived from Wolverhampton Wanderers alongside attacker Ruel Sotiriou.

Sheffield United also fielded two separate XIs in their first friendly and will continue to shuffle their pack as preparations ramp up.

Midfielders Sydie Peck and Callum O'Hare missed last week's opening friendly but should be deemed fit to feature on Saturday, while the likes of Tom Cannon, Patrick Bamford and Tyrese Campbell will compete to earn favour in the attacking areas.

A first start could be handed to 19-year-old winger Romelle Donovan, who arrived as the Blades' first summer addition on loan from Brentford on Wednesday.

Chesterfield possible starting lineup:

Boot; Eccleston, Dunkley, Simpson, Gordon; Naylor, McEachran; Markanday, Cook, Mandeville; Bonis

Sheffield United possible starting lineup:

Cooper; Seriki, Tanganga, Baptiste, Burrows; Rothwell, Arblaster; Donovan, O'Hare, Hamer; Cannon

We say: Chesterfield 2-3 Sheffield United

Both sides have quality and depth to put to the test in Saturday's friendly, and we do not envisage the second-tier visitors running away with the game given the slow nature of early pre-season, instead opting for a narrow Blades win with full squads being utilised.

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