Draw
Bristol City 1 - 1 Sheffield United
Who will win?
1
Bristol City
x
Draw
2
Sheffield United
The EFL season has now come to an end, which means one thing – the playoffs. The most anticipated matches of the season for those who compete, bring elation or heartbreak.
This year’s playoff series kicks off in the Championship on Thursday night, as Bristol City host Sheffield United in their first leg tie. The match will be played at Bristol City’s Ashton Gate, as the Robins look to cook up an advantage going into leg two.
Bristol City have completed their late bid for the playoffs by claiming sixth place on the final day of the season. This is the Robins’ first time in an EFL playoff mix since 2008 when a Dean Windass beauty denied them promotion to the top tier, under the arch of Wembley. Liam Manning’s men have surged up the table in the second half of this season, creating quite the reputation. However, recently City have hit a rock with their form, failing to pick up a win in any of their last three matches. Heading into the two most important fixtures of the season so far, they desperately need to amend their weakened batch of games.
Sheffield United certainly did not get the fairytale outcome they had hoped for. Being in and around the top two all season fell to pieces when the Blades crumbled by losing three games on the spin in April, handing over the early champagne bottles and open-top-bus rides to Leeds United and Burnley. All hope is not lost for Chris Wilder’s side though; they have potentially three more matches to make this fantastic season count for something. Although their form has dropped in the late stages of the campaign, the quality within their squad has not deterred by the flick of a switch. The calibre of players throughout their squad is edging on Premier League quality and they now have a huge stage to perform to their best.
Bristol City Predicted Line-Up: O’Leary, Vyner, Dickie, Tanner, McCrorie, Knight, Williams, Hirakawa, Bird, Twine, Wells
You cannot mention Bristol City without speaking about Jason Knight. The 24-year-old has been the rock in the Robins midfield. Leading by example with his scared armband on, Knight has picked up three goals and six assists this season. On top of his attacking contributions, the midfielder epitomises the term ‘box-to-box’, as he continues to demonstrate his defensive abilities.
Sheffield United Predicted Line-Up: Cooper, Burrows, Ahmedhodzic, Robinson, Gilchrist, de Souza Costa, Peck, Hamer, Rak-Sakyi, O’Hare, Campbell
Gustavo Hamer is a Championship delicacy. He has done it at Coventry and now continues to impress in Sheffield. The midfielder has just won the EFL Championship Player of the Season award for his excellence. While no Championship fan wants to say goodbye to his powers, he may well not be playing in this division next season – whether that is with Sheffield United in the Premier League or elsewhere. The Dutchman has scored nine goals in the Championship this season, many of them beauties, as well as racking up seven assists. If anybody has something to say in these playoffs, it will be him.
There are never many goals present in this matchup, proving it to be an extremely tight affair. Recently, Sheffield United have edged their ties; however, on the day it is anyone’s for the taking. Their two meetings this season have been very close. The last match was a 1-1 draw, and the match prior was won 2-1 by the Blades courtesy of a Harrison Burrows 98th minute winner. The last five matchups between these sides are as follows:
This fixture has proven to be a tight one in the past, and with Bristol City having the home advantage, it may well follow suit. Sheffield United will certainly bring a lot of quality to Ashton Gate, however the Robins will come prepared- backed by a full home attendance.
For this reason, our betting experts have suggested that Half Time Draw is the best value tip for this game. Odds on Betfred, Ladbrokes and Coral of 10/11 mean that a £10 stake has the potential to return £19.09!
(Odds are subject to change)
Here is everything you need to know to access the live broadcast of Bristol City vs Sheffield United in the EFL Championship Playoffs, either on television or through online streaming platforms.
This fixture will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK.
You can also stream this game live online via:
Bristol City 1-1 Sheffield United
It will be a tense match under the lights of Ashton Gate, setting up an important second leg tie.
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