Birmingham City vs Sheffield United Prediction, Preview, Predicted Lineups & Team News | EFL Cup

Birmingham City vs Sheffield United Preview

• Competition: EFL Championship
• Date: Thursday, 12 August
• Kick-Off Time: 07:00 PM GMT
• Venue: St. Andrew's

Both teams have a huge history and legacy in English football and have faced each other many times in the past. The newly promoted EFL Championship side Birmingham City will take on Sheffield United in the EFL Cup match on Thursday. EFL Cup games often mean that teams will rotate and give chances to other players, despite the season just starting a few days back. Here's Sportsdunia's Birmingham City vs Sheffield United Preview.

The Blues looked very promising as they kicked off their Championship season against Ipswich Town, and the match ended in a stalemate. Ipswich Town got relegated from the Premier League last season, and despite that, the newly promoted team performed much better and came very close to winning the game. Nevertheless, it was an indicator of where the Blues have got to under their new ownership and management of Chris Davies. They are a team full of ambition and surely will look to perform well in the EFL Cup as well.

On the other hand, the Blades had a very difficult start to the season, as defensively they are looking very poor, as they got trashed by 4-1 against Bristol City. Ruben Selles have a lot of pressure on him as the fans and management completely believe in him and he will have to deliver a performance since the expectations are very high. The Blades lost a golden opportunity last season to get promoted, but failed, and this season they again want to give it a try. Some changes need to be made in the defence so that they can get some positive results in the future. These two sides faced each other last time two seasons ago and will once again face each other in a high-stakes EFL Cup game. This will be a mouthwatering clash for sure.

Birmingham City Team News

The Blues played out a draw in their first-ever match of this season. Fujimoto, Ducksch, and Wright, all of whom are injured, will not be available for the upcoming fixture. The rest of the players are fit to play against Sheffield United.

Sheffield United Team News

The Blades will miss Arblaster, Shackleton, and Daives due to injuries. They played five friendly games before the start of the season, in which they lost two and won three matches. The rest of the squad are fit to play away from home against the Blues.

Birmingham City vs Sheffield United Predicted Lineups

Birmingham City Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1):

Goalkeeper: Allsop

Defenders: Samuel, Neumann, Klarer, Cochrane

Midfielders: Iwata, Paik

Forwards: Gray, Stansfield, Anderson, Furuhashi

Sheffield United Predicted Lineup (4-1-4-1):

Goalkeeper: Cooper

Defenders: Seriki, Bindon, Davies, Burrows

Midfielders: Peck, Brooks, O'Hare, Hamer, Barry

Forwards: Campbell

Birmingham City vs Sheffield United Head-to-Head Record

Both teams have played 114 games, in which Birmingham won 47 games, Sheffield won 44 games, and 23 matches ended in draws.

Key Players to Watch in Birmingham City vs Sheffield United

Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City)

The Fulham academy graduate joined earlier on loan, but after his brilliant performance, the Blues signed him permanently for a record transfer fee. Last season, he also performed exceptionally well and helped his team get promoted to the Championship. Quality-wise, clearly, he is one of the best players in the league, and surely his form will be very crucial for the Blues to get good results this season. Last season, he played 37 games in which he scored 19 goals and provided three assists.

Louie Barry (Sheffield United)

The Englishman has played for various clubs in different divisions of the English football system, and despite being 22 years old, he brings a lot of experience with him. Barry is a versatile player who can play as a winger as well as a striker. Earlier, he represented Ireland in the Youth international games, but after that, he switched to England and played for the U17 and U18 sides. Barry is a promising talent who is an Aston Villa academy graduate and can make an impact on the pitch and help his team get points.

Birmingham City vs Sheffield United Prediction

The Blues played a draw against Premier League-relegated side Ipswich Town; unfortunately, they failed to get three points despite being the better team. On the other hand, Sheffield United suffered a heavy defeat against Bristol City. Quality-wise, there isn't a big difference between these two sides, and most probably, the Blues will win this fixture narrowly.

Predicted Score: Birmingham City 2-1 Sheffield United

Where to Watch Birmingham City vs Sheffield United Live?