Preview: Mansfield Town vs Sheffield United - prediction, team news, lineups

Sheffield United will make the short trip to the One Call Stadium on Sunday to take on Mansfield Town in the first round of the EFL Cup.

Both teams will play their first competitive game of the season with the hosts gearing up for the League One season and their visitors approaching a third straight campaign in the Championship.

Match preview

Mansfield Town will kick off their 2026-27 season on Sunday with the hopes of pulling off an upset and advancing in the EFL Cup.

The Stags progressed past local rivals Chesterfield at this stage last year, before bowing out against Everton, while also enjoying a memorable run to the FA Cup fifth round with wins over Harrogate Town, Accrington Stanley, top-flight Burnley and Sunday's visitors away from home.

Indeed, Nigel Clough's men got one over on his old side at Bramall Lane in January, with Louis Reed scoring a brace alongside goals from Lucas Akins and Rhys Oates in a 4-3 triumph.

On the league front meanwhile, the Stags achieved a creditable tenth-placed finish in their second consecutive third-tier campaign, ending on 65 points having won three and drawn one of their last four outings before experiencing a busy summer with several notable arrivals and departures.

Now on the back of a 3-1 home defeat to Derby County to conclude pre-season, after wins over Alfreton Town and Retford United and a loss to Barrow, Mansfield Town will hope to get up and running on Sunday with another cup win over their visitors.

They arrive in Nottinghamshire in search of a winning start of their own before kicking off the new Championship term next week.

Sheffield United head into 2026-27 on the back of an underwhelming Championship campaign, having failed to follow up the prior year's third-placed finish and playoff semi-final defeat in their bid to return to the Premier League.

Instead, the Blades turned back to Chris Wilder early in the term and salvaged a 13th-placed finish in the second tier on 60 points, with only basement team Sheffield Wednesday suffering more than their 22 defeats, while their FA Cup bid ended early at the hands of Mansfield and their EFL Cup first-round tie ended in defeat at Birmingham City.

Wilder's men are now on the back of a busy pre-season schedule, winning four friendlies and drawing two as they got the better of Levante, Huddersfield Town and Rotherham United before visiting VfL Bochum last weekend and drawing 0-0.

They now head into the new term, with frustrations growing around summer transfer business, and will hope to get up and running with a victory to avenge last season's home loss and book their EFL Cup second-round spot.

Mansfield Town form (all competitions):

W L W L

Sheffield United form (all competitions):

W D W W W D

Team News

Mansfield Town head into 2026-27 without striker Will Evans, who scored 22 goals over two seasons for the club, after his departure to Plymouth Argyle was confirmed on Friday.

Aaron Lewis, Dom Dwyer and Victor Adeboyejo have also left the club, while Clough has strengthened with the signings of Michael Smith, Liam Thompson and David McGoldrick.

Jon Russell has made his loan move from Barnsley permanent and should start in midfield, while veteran forward McGoldrick also arrives from Barnsley and may lead the line against the team he helped fire to the Premier League in 2018-19.

Sheffield United should be at full strength for their cup tie ahead of the start of the Championship season next week, although they may come in without star midfielder Gustavo Hamer, who is the subject of links with a return to new Premier League side Coventry City.

Their only new incomings so far this summer have been defender Matt Doherty and loanee winger Romelle Donovan, who featured heavily in pre-season and should start on the right-hand side.

Jamal Baptiste will likely partner captain Japhet Tanganga at the back, while Tom Cannon, Tyrese Campbell, Patrick Bamford, Callum O'Hare and Ryan One are among those competing with Donovan for attacking spots.

Mansfield Town possible starting lineup:

Lewis; Knoyle, Oshilaja, Sweeney, Blake-Tracy; Akins, Reed, Russell, Thompson; McGoldrick, Smith

Sheffield United possible starting lineup:

Cooper; Seriki, Baptiste, Tanganga, McCallum; Arblaster, Peck; Donovan, O'Hare, Cannon; Bamford

We say: Mansfield Town 1-3 Sheffield United

Mansfield Town got the better of Sheffield United away last season and may fancy their chances at home to a Blades team yet to truly strengthen, but we still see the visitors' quality shining through and back them to progress.

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