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

With a chance to move within touching distance of guaranteeing their Championship safety, Blackburn Rovers will travel to Bramall Lane to take on Sheffield United on Wednesday.

With two games left to play, the visitors sit five points above 22nd spot in the Championship table, who have three games remaining, while their hosts have climbed into the top half with consecutive wins.

Match preview

Sheffield United return to Bramall Lane on Wednesday aiming to carry a winning streak towards the end of the Championship season and strengthen their top-half standing.

In what has been a disappointing campaign, after last season's playoff-final loss, the South Yorkshire side were left well in the bottom half of England's second tier on 51 points from 41 games by a six-game winless run that ended their hopes of charging into the playoff fight in the run-in.

Chris Wilder's men have, at least, seemingly turned a corner heading into the final games of the term though, returning to action in midweek on the back of consecutive triumphs, firstly ending that winless streak by beating playoff-chasing Hull City 2-1 thanks to goals from Gustavo Hamer and Danny Ings in the final five minutes.

A trip to Watford then followed on Saturday, and the Blades made it consecutive three-point hauls for the first time since mid-February, as Patrick Bamford scored both goals in a 2-0 victory early in the second half.

Now sitting 12th, but only leading four sides on goal difference and trailing 10th place by just a single point, Sheffield United can majorly improve their Championship finishing position with a strong run to end the term, beginning with a third straight win on Wednesday.

Their visitors, meanwhile, make the trip to South Yorkshire with the chance to secure their Championship status for next season in what has been a tough campaign.

Michael O'Neill took charge of Blackburn Rovers in mid-February, inheriting a side in the fight for survival on 27 points from 30 outings, and he oversaw a much-improved run in the early months, as they ended the Easter Weekend with 47 points on the board from 31 matches.

That culminated in a four-game unbeaten streak including two victories, taking them to four in O'Neill's first nine games at the helm, but they have failed to kick on and move out of reach of the drop zone since, going on to play out another creditable draw away at Stoke City before suffering a 3-0 beating at the hands of Southampton.

A tough test at home to Coventry City followed on Friday, with the visitors needing a point to guarantee promotion, and after leading through Ryoya Morishita's opener early in the second half, they had to settle for a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw as Bobby Thomas levelled six minutes from time.

Now sitting on 49 points with two games remaining, five points ahead of 22nd-placed Oxford United who have three left to play, Blackburn Rovers may have already done enough to keep themselves in the Championship this term but will feel a win at Bramall Lane on Wednesday would certainly get them over the line.

Sheffield United Championship form:

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Blackburn Rovers Championship form:

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Team News

Sheffield United remain without goalkeeper Michael Cooper, defender Sam McCallum, midfielder Kalvin Phillips and attacker Tyrese Campbell due to ongoing injury issues.

Adam Davies will continue to deputise between the sticks in Cooper's absence, while Mark McGuinness has joined captain Japhet Tanganga at the heart of the defence in recent weeks.

Joe Rothwell and Jairo Riedewald will hope to continue their midfield partnership from the weekend, despite competition from Sydie Peck, while Bamford is bound to lead the line again after netting his 10th and 11th league goals of the season last time out.

Blackburn Rovers continue to face a long injury list, with Hayden Carter, Axel Henriksson, Lewis Miller, Sondre Tronstad, Augustus Kargbo, Todd Cantwell and Andri Gudjohnsen all sidelined.

They should field a similar starting XI from Friday's draw against Coventry, with Morishita, Yuki Ohashi and Moussa Baradji hoping to continue in attack despite competition from Ryan Hedges, Nathan Redmond and Mathias Jorgensen.

Kristi Montgomery will again hope to join Taylor Gardner-Hickman in the engine room, while 19-year-old 19-year-old Tom Atcheson will continue to get the nod in a back three alongside Sean McLoughlin and Eiran Cashin.

Sheffield United possible starting lineup:

Davies; Seriki, Tanganga, McGuinness, Burrows; Riedewald, Peck; Cannon, O'Hare, Hamer; Bamford

Blackburn Rovers possible starting lineup:

Toth; Atcheson, McLoughlin, Cashin; Alebiosu, Montgomery, Gardner-Hickman, Ribeiro; Morishita, Ohashi, Hedges

We say: Sheffield United 2-1 Blackburn Rovers

Finally beginning to string some results together with limited pressure given their guaranteed mid-table finish, we back Sheffield United to continue their winning streak on Wednesday against a depleted Blackburn side.

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