Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
Bramall Lane greeted Chris Wilder with ovations and songs in the previous match, but his experience did not help in the first game after Rubén Sellés was dismissed. Sheffield United will now travel to face Oxford United away from home.
Oxford United
Oxford United won for the first time since the start of the season in the previous round. Few expected that outcome away to promotion contenders Bristol City. Free kicks and corners made the difference against the team who were third in the standings. All three goals came from two free-kicks and a corner. In the latter case, Greg Leigh applied the faintest of glances. Oxford United lead the division for goals from free kicks and corners with six, while the nearest challengers have four.
Sheffield United
Sheffield United have scored only once across six matchdays, so they sit bottom of the standings. This turnaround in expectations did not sit well with supporters and, more importantly, the board, so Rubén Sellés, who was appointed in the summer, was dismissed. The return of Chris Wilder just a few months after he left has not yielded a result yet. In his debut, Sheffield United lost to newcomers Charlton Athletic (0:1), despite peppering the goal. Accuracy proved the issue: only one of 13 attempts was on target, and the visitors won it with a 90th-minute goal.
Oxford United vs Sheffield United Prediction
Despite propping up the standings with no points, Sheffield United are considered favourites. They could win, but negative trends rarely disappear in an instant. We also saw how dangerous Oxford United are from free kicks and corners. With that in mind, the hosts have a realistic chance of taking something from the match.
