Preview | Sheffield United (A)
The Game
Sheffield United v Argyle. Bramall Lane. Saturday, 14 December. 3pm. Sky Bet Championship.
The Opposition
Sheffield United lead the division after 20 games, with 13 wins, five draws and just two defeats. That adds up to 44 points, but the Blades are credited with just 42, as they have a two-point deduction for defaulting on payments to other clubs.
United’s home record this season is exceptional. They have played nine games, winning eight and drawing once. That draw was a 2-2 scoreline against Queens Park Rangers, in the Blades’ first home game of the season. They have won all eight games since, without conceding a goal.
Their away record is also superb, winning five and drawing four of their 11 games on the road. Their two defeats came in succession, against Leeds United and Middlesbrough, in mid-October. Since then, Sheffield United have won seven and drawn two of their last nine.
The Gaffer
Chris Wilder, 57, feels inexorably linked with Sheffield United. He began his playing career there, and later had a second spell, as well as representing sides like Rotherham United, Notts County and Bradford City.
After retiring, he managed Alfreton Town and Halifax Town in non-league, and joined Bury as assistant manager. Shortly afterwards, Wilder took the manager’s job at National League side Oxford United.
In five years at Oxford, he took the U’s up, and solidified them in League Two, before moving on to Northampton Town. There, he kept the Cobblers up, then finished in mid-table, before walking the league in 2015/16.
His performance in Northamptonshire caught the eye of Sheffield United, where he moved in the summer of 2016. In his first season, the Blades won League One, with 100 points, finished 10th in the Championship the following year, and then finished second, achieving promotion to the Premier League.
A ninth-place finish in the Premier League was possibly his finest achievement at Bramall Lane, but Wilder left the club the following season, with United adrift at the bottom of the league.
Moves to Middlesbrough and Watford were short lived for Wilder, but he returned to Bramall Lane again midway through 2023/24. He could not keep the Blades in the Premier League, but has masterminded an almost-perfect start to this season.
The Squad
Michael Cooper (below) played 161 times for Argyle, the club he joined at the age of 11, and where he developed into one of the finest goalkeepers the Pilgrims have ever seen. He was thrust into his debut, as a substitute, aged 18, against Blackburn Rovers, and kept a second-half clean sheet to earn a draw. Given the number one shirt by Ryan Lowe, Cooper excelled and became a promotion winner under Steven Schumacher. Although hampered by injury over the last two seasons, he showed Championship class to attract Sheffield United at the start of this season. Remarkably, he is yet to concede a goal at home for the Blades.
Ever-present for this season for the Blades has been Callum O’Hare. The attacking midfielder, adept at playing just behind the frontline, signed for Sheffield United from Coventry City in the summer. Now 26, he began at Aston Villa and had loans at Carlisle United and Coventry before joining the Sky Blues permanently, playing nearly 150 games.
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi has impressed on the right flank for Sheffield United this season, on loan from Crystal Palace. The 22-year-old spent a season on loan with Charlton Athletic two seasons ago, scoring 15 goals, including one against Argyle on his debut. Last season, he was a squad member at Palace, playing intermittently, and was sent back out on loan, this time with Sheffield United, this season.
Recent Meetings
The last two occasions on which Argyle and Sheffield United have met have been Emirates FA Cup ties, in 2014/15 and 2020/21, both of which the Blades won. The sides have not played in league action since 2009/10, when both were in the Championship. Sheffield United won both games, 1-0 at Home Park, and 4-3 at Bramall Lane.
Tickets
Tickets for this match are now off sale. Any uncollected tickets must be picked up from Bramall Lane.
A Strip for the Trip
Argyle will wear their green home kit for this game.
Argyle TV
Argyle TV’s coverage will begin at 10am, with the Argyle Breakfast show, hosted by Erin Black and Aaron Cusack. They will bring you build-up, interviews, guests and features from the Argyle TV studio, until midday.
Former Argyle defender Brian McGlinchey will join Charlie Price at 2.30pm for the pre-match show, before handing over to the ground for commentary provided by Nathan Albon and David Fox.
Match passes to watch this game are available to certain international audiences. Click here for more information.
