Sheffield United and Sunderland could face each other in the Championship play-off final next month, with both sides enduring turbulent form towards the end of this season.
As the Championship approaches it’s final day fixtures, two sides who know for certain that their fate lies in the play-offs are Sheffield United and Sunderland.
Chris Wilder’s side were beaten to automatic promotion by Leeds United and Burnley last week, condemning the Blades to a third-place finish despite their stellar season.
The Black Cats have stuttered of late, but their impressive points tally banked in the early exchanges of the season, when Regis Le Bris’ side scorched to the second tier summit has helped them secure fourth.
Both sides will be keeping one eye on the results this weekend to see which other two sides secure the remaining two play-off places.
If third faces fourth in the final, one manager may have given himself the upper hand in recent weeks.
Chris Wilder may have dodged error Regis Le Bris has made
The Blades got back to winning ways against struggling Stoke City with a 2-0 win on the road. Three points made no impact on their league standings, but could make all the difference in terms of momentum, as Wilder eyes a record-breaking end to the season.
Sunderland, however, registered their fourth loss on the spin, this time to relegation-threatened Oxford United.
Le Bris’ selection claims backfired at the Kassam Stadium, with the head coach outlining before kick-off that the starting eleven was Sunderland’s “best”, but the Black Cats looked far from it.
After beating Stoke days after their third-place fate was confirmed with a dramatic defeat at Turf Moor, Wilder made a telling comment about his approach for the Blades before the play-offs begin.
Wilder told SUFC.co.uk: “To get back to winning ways was important, there have been a lot of things to balance in the last few days,
“The energy of the group has been outstanding since Monday night and the energy of the supporters was amazing.
“People perhaps thought we’d be taking it easy, taking our foot off the gas but we know you can’t do that, you can’t just turn it on and off, it was important we went full tilt and we never tough a step back in what was a physical game.”
After a defeat to Blackburn Rovers, days before the Oxford loss, Le Bris said to SAFC.com: “We’ve tried to manage the squad to ensure we have more fit players for the play-offs. Now, we have to switch into Play-Off mode with a different mindset.
“We need to add that extra energy and the mindset that will make the difference. The team’s understanding is there now, so it’s really about mentality.
“This recent period has been useful to refresh the squad, but that phase is done, and the message for everyone is clear – we need to shift into a different mindset.
“We have to build that mindset and energy starting now.”
Wilder has been adamant that “you can’t just turn it (form) on and off” and that was evident in their resounding win over the Potters.
Whereas Le Bris, has willingly sacrificed momentum and performances over recent weeks, at the behest of rotation prior to the play-offs, but has now ” to remedy that.
Varying approaches from the bosses see both the Blades and Black Cats head into their final day clashes – against Blackburn and Queens Park Rangers respectively – in contrasting form with a potential play-off final showpiece between the two sides only weeks away.
Sheffield United and Sunderland predicted play-off semi final opponents
The Championship’s final day will end the campaign in a fittingly dramatic conclusion.
In the latest play-offs predictions, Frank Lampard’s Coventry City are projected to have a 67% chance as per the OPTA Analyst, with Liam Manning’s Bristol City now resigned to a 93% chance of clinching fifth despite their defeat against Leeds United.
If the predictions prove true, Sheffield United will face Coventry with Sunderland taking on Bristol City, in attempts to book a spot in the Wembley final.
Sheffield United’s play-offs record is worrying for supporters, but Sunderland’s play-offs history is equally as concerning.
Both the Blades and Black Cats will face stern opposition to reach the play-off final, and the respective polar opposite approaches of both Wilder and Le Bris could prove pivotal if they are to draw swords in the capital next month.
Read more at;https://www.sportupdates.co.uk
Leave a Reply