Match Preview | Sheffield United vs. Cardiff City
The Bluebirds travel to Bramall Lane on Saturday, April 23rd, 2022.
The Blades will host the Bluebirds, with kick-off at 3pm.
As Saturday's Sky Bet Championship fixture will be kicking off at 3pm, supporters in the UK will not be able to watch Cardiff City TV's livestream of the fixture. However, Audio Passes are still available for purchase so that you can tune in on Saturday afternoon!
Audio Passes for this fixture are available for £2.50, with a Monthly Audio Pass on sale for £5 for supporters who would prefer to listen to every available fixture over the next few weeks!
International Match Passes are available for supporters overseas who wish to watch the Bluebirds face off against Sheffield United. Available for just £10, supporters can tune in ahead of kick-off for exclusive pre-match coverage presented by Cardiff City TV.
Opposition Focus | The Blades
Paul Heckingbottom is Sheffield United's manager, having taken over from Slaviša Jokanović on a permanent basis in November 2021. Previously with the club as their U23 lead coach, Heckingbottom had led Sheffield United in 2021 as their interim first team manager following Chris Wilder's departure in March 2021, with the Blades eventually being relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2020/21 season.
Currently in sixth place on the Sky Bet Championship table, the Blades will be looking to continue their battle for a Play-Off spot, having won one of their last five league fixtures.
An early goal from Oliver Norwood granted United their last victory against Queens Park Rangers at home, with two draws and a defeat following in the weeks afterwards.
Whilst currently four points below fifth-placed Nottingham Forest, Play-Off chasers Millwall are only a point behind the Blades, with each having played 43 matches.
Opposition Focus | Ones to Watch
Sheffield United's top goalscorer so far this season is Billy Sharp, who has amassed a total of 15 goals scored in all competitions. The 36-year-old captain is in his third stint with his boyhood club, and earlier this week saw his contract extended when the Blades exercised their option to keep the striker on their books for another year.
Consistently netting for United throughout the current campaign, Sharp scored most recently against Middlesbrough at the beginning of March, helping his side to towards a convincing 4-1 victory at Bramall Lane. Though the striker has been recovering from injury over the past few weeks, manager Paul Heckingbottom has indicated that he may well make his return against the Bluebirds on Saturday afternoon.
With 10 goals and seven assists to his name so far this season, Morgan Gibbs-White is another player who has impressed for Saturday's opponents throughout the current campaign.
Having started out the season playing for parent club Wolverhampton Wanderers, the 22-year-old was loaned to United at the end of August 2021, where the forward hit the ground running with a goal scored on his debut against Peterborough United.
Scoring a brace against former loan club Swansea City in February, the England youth international most recently scored in his last outing for the Blades, with an equaliser against Bristol City that secured his side an eventual point at Ashton Gate.
Memorable Meeting | 2011 - Sheffield United 0-2 Cardiff City
Having only met each other a handful of times over the last decade, City's most recent victory at Bramall Lane came on April 12th, 2011, when the Bluebirds earned three big away points against the Blades.
In their prior meeting at CCS, City had come back from being a goal down in the first half, with Jay Bothroyd equalising to secure a point on the opening day of the 2010/11 season. This time around, it was the Bluebirds who struck first, however, when Craig Bellamy's deflected strike curled in at the 21st minute of play.
After half-time, the visitors doubled the lead without the hosts being able to answer, as substitute Jay Emmanuel-Thomas headed home from Chris Burke's cross from the right. The Arsenal loanee's goal was his second during his period with City, before he returned to his parent club at the end of the 2010/11 campaign.
With the final whistle blown, City's three points earned propelled them up to second place on the Championship table, whilst Sheffield United remained in 24th, with 35 points earned from 41 matches played. The win would also turn out to be City's second consecutive victory at Bramall Lane, following a dramatic 4-3 win in 2009, which featured a famous Peter Whittingham hat-trick.
