Sheffield Utd vs Stoke prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-01-13 15:00.
Second-placed Sheffield United needed a 96th-minute equaliser against Queens Park Rangers (1-1) to maintain their six-match Championship unbeaten streak (W5, D1), and after a 2-0 FA Cup win over Millwall, they now resume their promotion bid. Although they’re five points behind leaders Burnley, the top two have already put considerable distance between themselves and the chasing pack.
That’s partly because they’ve lost just one of their last six home league fixtures (W3, D2) so Blades fans will expect their team to cut through another Championship fixture as they cheer them on at Bramall Lane for the first time this year. Familiar opponents are in town as this fixture was first played in December 1893, with Sheffield United leading the all-time H2H against Stoke 130 years later (W43, D30, L36).
Although Stoke have closed the H2H deficit by winning the last two meetings, making that three in a row will be a tall order given they haven’t won any of their last three league games (D1, L2). While a 3-0 FA Cup win over Hartlepool will have boosted morale, they enter this matchday just four points above the side in 22nd place after recently losing 1-0 to both Burnley and Preston North End.
With fans unhappy following those defeats, manager Alex Neil said afterwards, “If we can find ourselves on the right side of some of the key moments in games then it will change things in our favour.” There’s some hope that that could happen here as they’ve only lost one of their last four league away fixtures (W2, D1), despite conceding first in three of those games.
Key battle: Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom highlighted defender John Egan’s threat from set pieces after he scored twice across his last three league appearances. But he’ll also have to keep an eye on Stoke’s Tyrese Campbell, who’s scored four Championship goals this term – each was the second goal of the game.
Hot streak: Stoke have scored one first-half goal across their last eight Championship away games.