On their return to action following the international break, Sheffield United will aim to strengthen their position at the summit of the Championship table on Saturday, when they welcome Birmingham City to Bramall Lane.
The Blades sit three points clear at the top of the division thanks to four straight wins before the break, while their visitors have climbed up to 17th spot following an improved run of their own.
Match preview
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Sheffield United will return to action on Saturday hoping to pick up where they left off in the Championship, having put themselves top with 23 points from the opening 10 games.
The Blades' lofty position is no coincidence considering that no other side in the league have netted more than their 19 goals thus far, while only Preston North End boast a better defensive record, with Paul Heckingbottom's side allowing just five goals at the other end.
They also remain unbeaten since the opening day in England's second tier, with their home form being particularly encouraging ahead of Saturday's contest, as the South Yorkshire outfit have won all four of their Championship games at Bramall Lane so far, scoring 11 goals and conceding just once in the process, with a 4-0 thrashing of Reading forming the start of a four-game winning run heading into the recent break.
The Blades then put their first two away wins on the board against Hull City and Swansea City before travelling to Preston North End most recently, and they again prevailed with Iliman Ndiaye and Oli McBurnie hitting goals either side of half time to extend their eye-catching run.
Heckingbottom's men will now return from the break hoping to make it 10 league games unbeaten and stretch winning runs, both overall and at home, to five matches.
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Birmingham City will make the trip to Bramall Lane also hoping to build on a run of improved results after a slow start to the campaign.
Following the summer appointment of John Eustace, the Blues somewhat struggled to get going, with three straight defeats leaving them on just five points from seven outings.
They were then able to put an end to a five-game league winless run away at Preston North End, as Maxime Colin hit the only goal of the match, before the Midlands outfit made the short trip to West Bromwich Albion and made it back-to-back victories.
Scott Hogan put his side ahead and Jed Wallace quickly drew their opponents level, but Hogan would complete a hat-trick to put Birmingham 3-1 up and they eventually held out for a three-point haul after Brandon Thomas-Asante pulled one back from the penalty spot late on.
Now most recently on the back of a goalless draw with fellow Midlands outfit Coventry City prior to the break, leaving them 17th in the Championship, Eustace's men will look to go four games unbeaten in England's second tier for the first time since last November but face a particularly tough test away at the league leaders.
Team News
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While several players are nearing full returns to match fitness, with Billy Sharp and Jayden Bogle both making notable progress, Sheffield United were dealt another injury blow in the international break as Anel Ahmedhodzic was sidelined, with the Bosnian joining Ciaran Clark, Jack Robinson, Jack O'Connell, Enda Stevens and Max Lowe in the list of unavailable defenders.
As a result, Bogle may have to come straight into the starting XI in a right wing-back role with George Baldock potentially moving into a back three alongside Chris Basham and John Egan, while Manchester City loanee Tommy Doyle will again join Oliver Norwood in the engine room in the continued absence of John Fleck.
After a year-long goal drought, Oli McBurnie has once again found his form in front of goal for the Blades recently, netting four goals in their last five Championship games, and he should continue to lead the line with support from Sander Berge and Iliman Ndiaye, with the duo contributing combined tallies of eight goals and four assists in league action thus far.
Scott Hogan, who helped Sheffield United win promotion to the Premier League in the 2018-19 season, will lead the Birmingham line with confidence at Bramall Lane, having taken his tally to five league goals for the season with his hat-trick against West Brom.
He will likely be joined by Troy Deeney, who is yet to find the net this season, although Lucas Jutkiewicz will also be pushing for a start while Manchester United loanee Hannibal Mejbri is pushing to feature from the outset in an advanced midfield role.
At the other end of the pitch, the back three of Auston Trusty, Dion Sanderson and Maxime Colin should remain unchanged in front of veteran goalkeeper John Ruddy if key centre-back Marc Roberts is not deemed fit.
Sheffield United possible starting lineup:
Foderingham; Baldock, Egan, Basham; Bogle, Doyle, Norwood, Norrington-Davies; Berge, Ndiaye; McBurnie
Birmingham City possible starting lineup:
Ruddy; Colin, Sanderson, Trusty; Williams, Bielik, Chong, Graham; Mejbri; Deeney, Hogan
We say: Sheffield United 2-0 Birmingham City
Birmingham should not be underestimated by the league leaders and will travel to Bramall Lane with a sense of renewed confidence after their results in the lead up to the international break, but we see the Blades being too strong on home turf, even without a long list of key men out of action.
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Top tip
Sam Varley
