Cardiff City vs Sheffield United

Cardiff head to Bramall Lane on Saturday in an attempt to upset the Sheffield United apple cart. The Blades have been in unstoppable form of late, and are on a run of 10 games without defeat. More impressively, only two of these have been draws, and this red hot run of results has seen them rise to top spot in the Championship.

Contrastingly, Cardiff sit in 21st, with just a point separating them from those in the relegation. A run of 3 losses and four draws since the start of November saw them lose ground on the sides ahead of them, and the forecast looks increasingly likely to see them in a relegation fight come the end of the season.

As the game approaches, here is everything you need to know about both sides ahead of kick-off.

Key Statistics

• Cardiff have scored just five goals in their last five games and haven’t kept a clean sheet in eight.
• They have also failed to beat Sheffield United in the last five meetings.
• Sheffield United have the most clean sheets of any time in the Championship with 14 shutouts.
• They have conceded in just three games across their 10 games unbeaten run.

Cardiff City Preview

Cardiff City Predicted Lineup (3-4-2-1): Jak Alnwick (GK); Calum Chambers, Dimitrios Goutas, Jesper Daland; Callum O’Dowda, Joe Ralls, Manolis Siopis, Andy Rinomhota; Chris Willock, Anwar El-Ghazi; Yakou Meite.

Cardiff's task of taking something away from Bramall Lane is made significantly harder by the fact they are missing Aaron Ramsey and David Turnbull, quality players whose absence virtually killed their chase for promotion before it began.

With no wins in their last seven, it is hard to see them ending that streak here, and considering Sheffield’s partiality for clean sheets in recent games, they face a vertical cliff race rather than an uphill climb.

However, if top scorer Callum Robinson can steal an early goal, the Bluebirds may just be able to make things interesting.

Sheffield United Preview

Sheffield United Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1): Michael Cooper (GK); Harrison Burrows, Jack Robinson, Harry Souttar, Alfie Gilchrist; Tom Davies, Sydie Peck; Gustavo Hamer, Callum O’Hare, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi; Kieffer Moore.

Superb since the opening day of the season, and having lost just two league games to date, Sheffield look to be well and truly on track to bounce straight back up to the Premier League.

While they rarely blow the doors off and score five or six in a game, their consistency at scoring 2 or 3 has seen them down virtually all those put before them. In fact, during their recent run of title chasing form, they have only scored more than two once, and yet still picked up 8 wins.

Their new-look defence has proved too good for their competition. The introduction of 6 foot 6 Australian centre back Harry Souttar and Chelsea loanee Alfie Gilchrist has seen the Blades suffocate opposing attacks, providing a formidable backline that few can pass without great difficulty.

Should they perform up to their usual standard, they should breeze through this one.

Cardiff City vs Sheffield United Head to Head

Last five meetings:

• 15/04/2023: Sheffield 4-1 Cardiff.
• 12/11/2022: Cardiff 0-1 Sheffield.
• 23/04/2022: Sheffield 1-0 Cardiff.
• 04/12/2021: Cardiff 2-3 Sheffield.
• 02/04/2018 Sheffield 1-1 Cardiff.

Historical Head to Head - Cardiff City: 4. Drawn: 4. Sheffield United: 6.

Cardiff City vs Sheffield United Betting Tip

As typically happens when teams and opposite ends of the table go head to head, there is typically only one outcome, and for those of you craving variety, I am afraid this will be no different.

Sheffield have scored 2 goals in four of their last five away fixtures, and with Cardiff lingering close to the relegation zone and looking vulnerable, the Blades look likely to repeat the trick. That is why we are backing Sheffield United to win.

Cardiff City vs Sheffield United Final Prediction

Cardiff City 0-2 Sheffield United

Sheffield will bag their customary two goals, and as long as their defence is at full strength, will comfortably keep a clean sheet at the other end.