Sheff Utd v Sheff Weds Betting Tips: Can Blades keep up Prem push?
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Odds and preview of Steel City derby
It’s the Steel City derby tonight, as Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday face off for the 144th time. And there’s more than just local pride at stake.
The Blades would go top of the Championship with victory at Bramall Lane. Meanwhile, the Owls will be desperate to end a run of four straight defeats and steer clear of a relegation battle.
Ahead of kick-off, we’ve got all the odds and info on this crunch clash…
Head-to-Head
This rivalry has been going on for over 125 years, with the first ever meeting coming back in 1891 – when the Owls pulled off a 2-1 win in the Wharncliffe Charity Cup.
There’s been almost nothing to separate the pair throughout history, with United winning 49 meetings to Wednesday’s 48.
Three of the last five clashes have also ended level, though United did enjoy a barnstorming 4-2 win at Hillsborough last season.
Likely XIs
Chris Wilder has built his success with the Blades on a 3-5-2 system. They’re boosted by Chris Basham’s return from suspension at centre-back.
Hometown hero Billy Sharp loves a goal in this fixture, and is likely to partner fellow experienced hitman Leon Clarke up front.
Wednesday manager Jos Luhukay is more flexible with his tactics, and the Owls may revert to the 4-2-3-1 which worked well earlier this season. That could see a trio of Lucas Joao, Adam Reach and Marco Matias sat behind Steven Fletcher.
Key Battles
United’s set-up has continued to work well this season, but can leave them exposed at the back. While Enda Stevens and Kieron Freeman will need to balance their attacking duties with keeping the tricky pairing of Joao and Matias in check.
For the Owls, it’s all about stopping the supply line to Sharp and Clarke. Neither are great creators, but both are lethal finishes. They could well choose to man-mark midfielder Mark Duffy, who chalked up a trio of assists in the recent win at Millwall.
Match Odds
Wilder’s men have home advantage and sit 10 points above their city rivals, making them firm favourites in the Match Betting.
It’s 1/2 for a Blades victory. Meanwhile, the Draw is 10/3, while visiting Wednesday are 11/2 to pull off a surprise win.
The visitors are the top scorers in the bottom eight, but also have the league’s joint-worst goal-difference. It’s 21/10 for United to Win and Both Teams to Score.
Meanwhile, in the Correct Score market, there’s a hefty 22/1 on a 3-2 Blades win for the fourth time in 2018.
In the Anytime Goalscorer markets, Sharp (19/20) and Clarke (11/8) are among the men most likely.
For Wednesday, Reach has built a reputation for netting long-range screamers. He’s 8/1 to Score from outside the box in this clash.
Click here for the latest Sheffield United v Sheffield Wednesday odds.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
