I’ve been absolutely buzzing about this Saturday’s Championship showdown at the King Power Stadium between Leicester City and Sheffield United. Let me tell you, this has all the ingredients of a proper football feast with two sides heading in completely different directions right now.
Recent Form: A Tale of Two Trajectories
Leicester have hit a bit of a wobble recently, haven’t they? After looking like they were getting into gear with those back-to-back 2-1 wins against Norwich and Stoke, they were absolutely thumped 3-0 by Southampton on Tuesday night. I was gutted watching young Olabade Aluko getting his marching orders, which really killed any chance of a comeback.
What’s really concerning for me is their home form – just one win in their last six at the King Power.That’s nowhere near good enough for a side with Premier League ambitions. Marti Cifuentes must be pulling his hair out trying to figure out how to get this talented group firing consistently again.
On the flip side, Sheffield United are absolutely flying after a terrible start to the season. Chris Wilder seems to have finally got his lads playing proper football again. That 3-0 Steel City derby win against Sheffield Wednesday was absolute perfection, with Tyrese Campbell bagging a brace. They followed that up with another 3-0 thrashing of Portsmouth midweek. That’s seven points from nine available and they’ve finally climbed out of the relegation zone!
Key Players to Watch
I’ve got my eye on Abdul Fatawu for Leicester. The lad’s been their shining light this season with 3 goals and 4 assists already. His pace and trickery down that right wing will be absolutely crucial if the Foxes want to break down what’s suddenly become a very solid Blades defense.
Jordan James in that number 10 role is another one to keep tabs on. He’s netted 3 times this campaign and has that knack of arriving in the box at just the right moment. With Patson Daka leading the line, there’s still plenty of firepower in this Leicester team.
For the Blades, Tyrese Campbell is absolutely on fire right now. 5 goals to his name already this season and that brace in the derby shows he’s a man full of confidence.I reckon he’ll be licking his lips at the prospect of facing a Leicester defense that’s just shipped three goals and will be missing the suspended Aluko.
Gustavo Hamer coming back from injury is massive for United too. He scored off the bench against Portsmouth and should start on Saturday. His creativity and set-piece delivery could be the difference in what might be a tight affair.
Team News and Predicted Lineups
Leicester are dealing with quite a few injuries. Victor Kristiansen, Ben Nelson, Aaron Ramsey, Harry Souttar and Caleb Okoli are all still in the treatment room. And as I mentioned, Aluko’s suspension after that red card against Southampton is a real blow. The good news is that Ricardo Pereira should be fit enough to start.
I reckon Cifuentes will go with:
Begovic; Choudhury, Faes, Vestergaard, Pereira; Winks, Skipp; Mavididi, James, Fatawu; Daka
Sheffield United remain without Ben Godfrey, Oliver Arblaster, Tahith Chong and Tom Davies.Davies has suffered another setback and is looking at 2-3 weeks out. The good news is Campbell should be back in the starting XI after only making the bench midweek.
Wilder’s likely lineup:
Cooper; Seriki, Tanganga, Mee, McCallum; Peck, Riedewald; O’Hare, Hamer; Campbell, Ings
My Prediction
I’ve spent hours analyzing this one, and I’m still torn! Leicester have historically dominated this fixture, winning all 7 of their most recent meetings. But form doesn’t lie, does it?
The Foxes are struggling at home while the Blades have kept three consecutive clean sheets. That defensive solidity under Wilder is really impressive. However, I just can’t see Leicester losing three on the bounce, especially at home.
I’m going for a 2-2 draw. Campbell and Hamer to score for United, with Fatawu and Daka responding for the Foxes. It’ll be end-to-end stuff with both teams having periods of dominance.
Want to share your own predictions? Drop me an email or leave a comment below! I love chatting football with you lot and I’m always keen to hear different perspectives.
Remember, if you’re having a flutter on this one, only gamble what you can afford to lose. But if you’re feeling confident in my prediction, that 2-2 scoreline is priced at 13.00 – could be worth a small stake!
