Sheffield United vs Bristol City Predictions

• Sheffield United are averaging one goal scored and one conceded across their last six home games.
• Bristol City were denied a 2-2 draw by a late Coventry City winner in their last away fixture.
• The Robins have the highest expected goals against figure in the Championship.

Blades could rediscover cutting edge against leaky visitors

Sheffield United have a new manager in place after the sacking of Slavisa Jokanovic and at least Paul Heckingbottom has an idea of what he’s walking into at Bramall Lane after acting as an interim boss last season.

Whether he can get to the crux of their problems and solve them quickly enough to salvage their season remains to be seen, but Jokanovic had clearly faced resistance to his tactical switches from the Blades’ dressing room.

Defensively, United have looked more secure since reverting to a back three, but they lacked a cutting edge until late on against Coventry and had just two attempts on target in their 1-0 win at Reading on Tuesday night.

However, the good news for Heckingbottom is that Sunday’s visitors to Bramall Lane bring with them one of the worst defensive records in the division. Only Cardiff, Peterborough and Reading had conceded more prior to last weekend’s set of fixtures and their expected goals against figure is still the highest in the Championship.

Pearson’s search for a clean sheet goes on 

Nigel Pearson’s side are yet to keep an away clean sheet this season and have seen their opponents score 11 times in their last four road trips. They have often had to chase games as a result, but have shown they can score themselves with only Fulham, Nottingham Forest and QPR having scored more away goals than the Robins in 2021-22.

Both teams to score looks a good way in to this contest with the Blades’ home clean sheet percentage of 22 way below the league average of 35 and Bristol City one of only three clubs yet to record one on their travels. A 1-1 scoreline appeals most in correct score betting because the Robins appear to be on the improve defensively while United average one at each end across their last six home fixtures.