Sheffield United vs Barnsley Predictions

• Fewer than three goals have been scored in eight of Sheffield United’s last ten home league games.
• Fewer than three goals have been scored in four of Barnsley’s last five away games against Championship opposition.
• Sheffield United have conceded two goals in their last nine home league games while Barnsley have scored just three in their last six road trips.

United’s old-timers lack freshness for Tykes clash

Barnsley have the youngest squad in the Championship and Sheffield United the oldest, so it seems somewhat harsh on the hosts that the Tykes have had an extra day to rest and recuperate from the midweek round of fixtures.

United boss Paul Heckingbottom alluded to the fact that some of his stars are spending more time in ice baths than they are on the training pitches at the moment, making us wonder if the Blades’ backlog could be about to catch up with them.  Only the club’s fitness staff will know if there’s been a drop off in the team’s running stats, but that could be an explanation for the Blades’ puzzling 4-1 defeat at Coventry that came just days after they had thumped Middlesbrough by the same score.

In fairness, they should probably have beaten Blackpool on Wednesday, but at least one incorrect offside decision robbed them of a potential winning goal. Defensively, they were superb again, recording their 15th Championship clean sheet of the season – the joint-second most in the division.

Barnsley rarely get much on the road

The question of whether Barnsley can upset the odds on Saturday comes down to whether you believe Poya Asbaghi’s side can break the Blades backline’s resistance. Barnsley have scored just three goals in their last six away games against Championship opponents and have managed to yield an xG of greater than one only once in their last nine league road trips.

That suggests not and, with some lingering doubts over the Blades’ form and freshness, we are taking an under 2.5 goals bet here in preference to the hosts’ short price to win in 90 minutes. Fewer than three goals have been scored in eight of Sheffield United’s last ten home league games – likewise in four of Barnsley’s last five away games against Championship opposition.

A 1-0 home win is the favoured option in correct score betting because Barnsley have kept only two away clean sheets all season.