Sheffield Utd vs Blackburn prediction: ENGLAND: FA Cup betting tips on match 2023-03-18 12:00.
Just the fifth FA Cup quarter-final between two second-tier sides since the turn of the century sees Sheffield United welcome fellow promotion-chasers Blackburn Rovers. Whoever wins will become the first Championship side to appear at Wembley in the world’s oldest football competition since Reading back in 2015, though the Blades will enter as hot favourites despite losing 1-0 to Rovers in a league H2H earlier this month.
That defeat was part of an ongoing run of six league games alternating between wins and defeats for Paul Heckingbottom’s men (W3, L3), raising the hopes of their would-be top-two usurpers here after the Blades strengthened their Championship position in midweek with a 2-1 comeback win at Sunderland. A similar team spirit has been shown to get them to within a win of Wembley as all nine of their FA Cup goals this season were scored by different players.
Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson was no stranger to trophies during an illustrious playing career and he’s doing a good job in translating that success to his Lancashire outfit. An impressive run of six wins from their last seven games (L1) has left them just nine points adrift of Sheffield United in the league and after dispatching Premier League Leicester in the fifth round, they now have the chance to make a historical first visit to the new Wembley.
That’s not the only history at stake either as a Blackburn victory will set the longest gap between one side eliminating another in the FA Cup, with their last competition win over the Blades arriving 126 years ago! That’ll have to overcome their underdog status to do just that, although that hasn’t been an issue this season, as only two sides boast a higher win-rate (based on at least three games) in such games than their 45% (W9, D3, L8), so they’ll be hoping to bring that same determination to Bramall Lane.
Key battle: Blades’ midfielder Iliman Ndiaye put Blackburn to the sword with a second-half brace in the corresponding league fixture back in August. Trying to thwart him will be Blackburn full-back Harry Pickering, who scored against the Blades in their H2H win earlier this month and has contributed to goals in two of his last three appearances (G1, A1).
Hot stat: None of Sheffield United’s last 16 FA Cup home games ended level after 90 minutes (W13, L3).