- Sheffield form: Sheffield United have won two, drawn one and lost two of their last five Championship matches
- Preston form: Preston North End have won two, drawn two and lost one of their last five in the Championship
- Head-to-head: The Blades have won three and Preston only one of the last four head-to-head meetings in the competition
Heckingbottom has Blades pedigree
Wilder's impact
Chris Wilder has certainly made his mark on Sheffield United’s play since taking over at Bramall Lane in September 2025, instilling his 3-5-2 system and getting players to play at a high tempo. He has also made some tweaks to his team in the past few weeks that appear to have given his side a jump-start as the Blades come into Saturday’s game on the back of consecutive wins.
Standings and comparison
United have beaten Hull City 2-1 at home and Watford 2-0 away in their recent games to move up to 12th in the Championship table with 57 points from 43 games. They have been solid and consistent in mid-table all season long.
Preston North End also have 57 points from 43 matches, but sit 16th in the table and behind the Blades on the tiebreakers. Paul Heckingbottom has been more conservative than Wilder in the Championship since taking over in August 2024, allowing his team to keep things tight and give their talented players the chance to win matches with their quality.
Preston’s away woes could be their undoing
Heckingbottom knows this Sheffield United team well, which adds an extra layer of intrigue to this late-season game of two teams that are neither playing to make the playoffs or facing the danger of relegation.
The dueling of wing-backs and the battle between the two number tens against the centre-backs will go a long way to deciding this one.
Backing the hosts at 1.63 to take all the points looks good value as Preston are unbeaten in their last two away games, although they have failed to win on their previous two trips to Bramall Lane. Preston average 1.10 goals per away game, scoring 23 times on their travels in the Championship. United are averaging 1.67 goals per home game with 35 scored at Bramall Lane this season.
- Preston’s last three results have been a 1-2 away win at Charlton Athletic, a 1-1 home draw with QPR and a 0-2 home defeat to West Bromwich Albion.
- United’s last three home Championship results have seen them win one, draw one and lose one, but the formbook could go out of the window when these two similar systems face off on Saturday.
- Both teams play with three central defenders and wing-backs, although Preston are much more cautious than United.
Wilder’s men are on a roll
Patrick Bamford is United’s talisman with 11 goals in 25 Championship appearances this season, but Alfie Devine is Preston’s danger man with eight in 42 league games, making him their top scorer by some distance. Lewis Dobbin has given them an outlet in wide areas, however, with three assists and eight goals in the Championship this term.
Wilder’s team have got the momentum and home advantage so we’re backing them to prevail in this one and continue their good recent form.
