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

Sheffield Wednesday will welcome rivals Sheffield United to Hillsborough on Sunday for a Steel City Derby.

On the return from the November international break, the two teams sit in the bottom three of the Championship table, with the hosts at the foot of the division following a 12-point deduction after entering administration.

Match preview

Sheffield Wednesday head back into action on Sunday in search of a first Steel City derby victory since 2012, having fallen short in both iterations last season.

The Owls have endured a tough 2025-26 campaign thus far, heading into the term with a thin squad and ongoing off-field issues and financial issues, and they would enter administration in late October, triggering an immediate 12-point deduction.

That only further harmed any survival hopes for Henrik Pedersen's side, who now sit on -4 points after 15 outings, having won one and lost nine of those, while conceding a league-high tally of 29 goals.

After their only league victory thus far in September, the Owls return from the break on Sunday on the back of a nine-match winless streak producing just four points, most recently following up confidence-boosting draws against West Bromwich Albion and Norwich City with a trip to Southampton and losing 3-1 in early November.

Still with spirits lifted around Hillsborough, with the administration forcing the departure of the club's former owner, Sheffield Wednesday boast fresh optimism for the future and will go in search of another morale-boosting triumph in Sunday's derby.

Their visitors, meanwhile, make the short trip across the city looking for a third straight derby victory to narrow their gap to safety in a tough campaign.

After a 2024-25 season which ended in playoff final defeat, in which they recorded a pair of 1-0 victories over Sheffield Wednesday thanks to goals from Tyrese Campbell and Rhian Brewster, Sheffield United have been slow out the blocks, managing just 10 points from their first 15 outings.

That leaves the Blades 22nd and three points adrift of safety, with their 11 defeats the most in the division at this stage.

Chris Wilder's side looked to have turned a corner last month with consecutive victories over Watford and Blackburn Rovers, but three straight losses followed at the hands of Preston North End, Derby County and Coventry City, conceding nine goals along the way, before they hosted Queens Park Rangers before the break and shared the points in a goalless stalemate.

With plenty of cause for concern around their displays in the first third of the campaign, with only Watford recording fewer than their six away points thus far, Sheffield United will be desperate to kickstart a climb out of the bottom three and up the Championship table with a statement victory over their neighbours to take an unbeaten Steel City Derby run beyond the 14-year mark ahead of the next league meeting in March.

Sheffield Wednesday Championship form:

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Sheffield United Championship form:

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Team News

Sheffield Wednesday's already-thin squad has only been hit further by injuries this season, with goalkeeper Pierce Charles likely continuing his long return to full fitness while Di'Shon Bernard, Nathaniel Chalobah, Ernie Weaver, Olaf Kobacki and George Brown will remain sidelined.

They have been able to add a reinforcement following their administration, though, with the arrival of experienced defender Liam Cooper, and he may join Dominic Iorfa and former Sheffield United man Max Lowe in a back three.

Svante Ingelsson and Yan Valery will continue to join captain and star man Barry Bannan in midfield, while Ike Ugbo and Jamal Lowe will compete to return to the attack after Bailey Cadamarteri and Charlie McNeill were preferred for the trip to Southampton last time out.

Sheffield United have been hit by injuries of their own in recent months, although Chris Wilder has confirmed Oliver Arblaster, Tahith Chong and Gustavo Hamer may be back in contention ahead of the Steel City Derby.

The Blades bolstered their ranks in the international break with the signing of Patrick Bamford, and he will compete for an attacking spot alongside the likes of Tyrese Campbell, Danny Ings, Tom Cannon, Andre Brooks and Ryan One.

Callum O'Hare has been their key man going forward this term, managing four goals and two assists in the Championship, while Jairo Riedewald, Tom Davies, Djibril Soumare and Sydie Peck will battle for starting places in midfield.

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:

Horvath; Iorfa, Cooper, M Lowe; Palmer, Ingelsson, Bannan, Valery, Amass; Cadamarteri, J Lowe

Sheffield United possible starting lineup:

Cooper; Seriki, Tanganga, Mee, Burrows; Peck, Davies; Ogbene, O'Hare; Campbell, Bamford

We say: Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Sheffield United

Evidenced by recent meetings between the two Steel City sides, we expect a tight and cagey encounter at Hillsborough on Sunday.

Sheffield United head to Hillsborough hoping to show their superior quality, but they may be frustrated by a brave Owls outfit battling bravely in front of a crowd rejuvenated following the club's administration and impending fresh start.

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