Mansfield Town vs Sheffield United Predictions

• Mansfield Town won 4-3 at Bramall Lane in the FA Cup third round in January
• Sheffield United have failed to win six of their last eight cup games
• The Blades have exited the EFL Cup at the first round stage in three of the past four seasons

Stags set to make Wilder’s men sweat again

Sheffield United need no reminder of the danger Mansfield Town pose to them in Sunday’s Carabao Cup first round tie at One Call Stadium. Chris Wilder’s side lost 4-3 to the Stags in January when the Blades boss made 10 changes for their FA Cup third-round clash at Bramall Lane.

Almost none of his fringe players impressed and they were 4-1 down before a triple substitution just after the hour mark sparked a late fightback. His squad are no strangers to early cup exits and defeats to lower-tier teams, having lost to Lincoln City on penalties at this stage three years ago.

Wilder again made a raft of changes when Cardiff City upset the Championship formbook in the FA Cup third round two seasons ago, but the scenario is different this time around.

McGoldrick may pounce against former club

Unlike last August, when Ruben Selles made 10 changes for a first-round Carabao Cup defeat to Birmingham City that was sandwiched between two league games, this match occurs six days before the Championship campaign gets underway.

That should enable Wilder to go with a strong line-up, albeit the same applies to Stags boss Nigel Clough. Mansfield have recruited well over the summer and kept all their key players from last season.

They had the best defensive record outside the top six in League One last term and have added experience and goals with the signings of David McGoldrick and Michael Smith. Ex-Blades striker McGoldrick bagged 15 for Barnsley last season and is attractively priced to register in a game Mansfield may not lose. The Stags have not any of their last three competitive or friendly matches against the Blades and look backable in the double chance market.