Preview: Sheffield United vs Swansea City - prediction, team news, lineups

Separated by three places but just two points in the bottom half of the Championship table, Sheffield United and Swansea will square off at Bramall Lane on Friday.

The hosts have dropped back down to 17th spot due to a four-game winless streak before the international break, while their visitors sit 14th after consecutive defeats.

Match preview

Sheffield United head back into action after the final international break of the season on Friday aiming to get back to winning ways in the Championship.

Following a poor start to the campaign, in which they had to climb out of the drop zone and away from the threat of relegation, the Blades looked set to threaten the playoff spots in the final run-in, as a six-game run between late January and mid-February, producing 13 points, left them on 45 points from 33 outings.

They have failed to kick on and climb truly into the top-six picture since, though, adding just five points to that tally in six further attempts with the only win in that time coming away at Queens Park Rangers at the end of February.

Chris Wilder's men now return to action in the midst of a four-match winless streak that has seen and top-six hopes fade away, firstly drawing with West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham City either side of a loss to Norwich City, before hosting Wrexham in the last game before the break and again falling short in a 2-1 defeat, despite going ahead through Andre Brooks, as Josh Windass levelled the scores and Sam Smith took all three points for the visitors 12 minutes from time.

Now sitting 17th with seven games remaining, 11 points above the drop zone and 13 away from the top six, Sheffield United will at least hope to kickstart an upturn in form to end the season with the top half still within reach.

Their visitors find themselves in a similar spot, having dropped back into the bottom half before the international break.

After a poor start to the campaign left them around the drop zone, Swansea City turned to Vitor Matos in November and saw an eye-catching improvement, picking up 11 wins and 35 points from their first 21 league matches under the new boss.

That culminated in consecutive triumphs in early March, leaving the Swans 11th with an outside chance of cracking the top six, dependent on a near-perfect end to the campaign, but they failed to carry that into the break, firstly suffering a 2-0 defeat in a trip to Wrexham.

Another tough test then followed at home to league leaders Coventry City before the break, and the Welsh outfit were unable to defy the odds and bounce back, succumbing to a 3-0 defeat with Brandon Thomas-Asante, Matt Grimes and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto having the visitors three ahead before the interval.

Now sitting 14th and looking set for another season in the Championship and a first full one under Matos next year, encouraged by the positive signs since November, Swansea City will focus on ending on a high in the coming weeks with a chance to move back into the top half with an away win to kick off the Easter Weekend.

Sheffield United Championship form:

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Swansea City Championship form:

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Team News

Sheffield United remain without first-choice goalkeeper Michael Cooper through injury, while Sam McCallum will also miss the remainder of the season and Manchester City loanee Kalvin Phillips is still a doubt having been sidelined for their last three games before the break.

In Cooper's absence, Adam Davies will continue to deputise between the sticks, while Sydie Peck and Jairo Riedewald should again partner up in midfield despite competition from Tom Davies and Oliver Arblaster.

Patrick Bamford will lead the Blades line, likely with support from the trio of Gustavo Hamer, Callum O'Hare and Andre Brooks, who have managed combined tallies of 17 goals and 18 assists in the Championship this term.

Swansea City remain unable to call on attacker Zeidane Inoussa, who has been confined to the treatment room since mid-January.

Zan Vipotnik, who leads the league with 17 goals so far this term, returns to spearhead the attack in fine form, having scored a brace for Montenegro against Slovenia on Wednesday during the international break.

Ronald, Melker Widell, Ji-Sung Eom, Malick Yalcouye and Liam Cullen will all compete for spots behind the front man, while Marko Stamenic will hope to displace either Jay Fulton or Goncalo Franco and start in the engine room.

Sheffield United possible starting lineup:

Davies; Seriki, Bindon, Tanganga, Burrows; Peck, Riedewald; Brooks, O'Hare, Hamer; Bamford

Swansea City possible starting lineup:

Vigouroux; Galbraith, Cabango, Burgess, Tymon; Franco, Stamenic; Yalcouye, Widell, Eom; Vipotnik

We say: Sheffield United 2-1 Swansea City

With both sides looking for a fresh start after tough runs into the international break, we anticipate a close encounter on Friday and give a slight edge to the hosts.

Sheffield United still possess far more quality than their league position suggests, while the visitors' tally of 17 points away from home is the third lowest in the Championship.

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