Form generally goes out of the window when it’s an FA Cup match-day, and both clubs will hope that is so as they both look to bounce back from a defeat in their previous game in order to set up a cup Quarter Final.
Sheffield United were narrowly defeated 2-1 at home to Chelsea on Sunday night to leave them rooted to bottom of the Premier League table. In a season of 18 league defeats, the FA Cup has provided The Blades with that winning feeling as they have beaten Bristol Rovers and Plymouth Argyle to get to this stage.
Bristol City were on the wrong end of a 2-0 score-line as they hosted Cardiff City in the Sky Bet Championship at the weekend. After a strong start to the season saw them win five of their six September fixtures (in all competitions), The Robins currently sit 10th in the Championship table, six points outside of the Play-Offs.
They have beaten League One Portsmouth and fellow Championship side Millwall on their journey to Round 5.
Team News – Sheffield United
The Blades are boosted by potential returns of Enda Stevens and Lys Mousset. Chris Wilder confirmed that both the LWB and the striker had trained with the first team on Tuesday and was ‘hopeful’ they will both be involved for this tie.
Ethan Ampadu will be available for selection after sitting out the Chelsea game through not being able to feature against his parent club.
Team News – Bristol City
The Robins could have left back Jay Dasilva back fit for tomorrow’s tie after he has missed the last few months with injury.
Joe Williams featured for the first time in a Bristol City shirt against Cardiff City after he recovered from injury.
New signing Henri Lansbury also featured at the weekend and could appear in Dean Holden’s starting 11 tomorrow.
Previous Meeting
The last time these teams met was back in the Championship in the season Sheffield United won promotion to the Premier League. However, it was The Robins who came out on top that day.
Billy Sharp opened the scoring for United after six minutes, but Bristol City hit back on the half hour when Andreas Weimann flicked a header past Dean Henderson.
Scott Hogan restored The Blades’ lead with 20 minutes to go as he nodded in from close range, but Weimann again levelled things up soon after when he hacked in at the back post.
Weimann completed his hattrick with an excellent finish from inside the area with just seven minutes left to play to secure all three points for The Robins.
Ones to watch
Sheffield United: Billy Sharp
Whilst Premier League minutes have been at a premium for the veteran striker, the 35-year-old certainly still knows where the net is. In his only FA Cup appearance this season, he doubled Sheffield United’s lead to 2-0 when he rounded Plymouth goalkeeper Michael Cooper and slotted into the empty net.
Sharp has scored 110 goals in all competitions for his boyhood club and has scored three Premier League goals this season, despite most of his appearances coming from the substitute’s bench.
In his last season in the Championship, United’s no. 10 scored 23 goals, a feat only bettered by a small handful of players through the course of that campaign.
Bristol City: Famara Diedhiou
Bristol City have a goalscoring striker of their own in the form of Famara Diedhiou. Diedhiou has featured in 25 of The Robins’ 28 Championship games this season, and has scored six goals, including a quick-fire brace against Huddersfield Town last month.
The Senegalese international has been a heavy feature of Bristol City’s team since he joined the club back in 2017. In that time, he has comfortably reached double figure goalscoring totals every season, and The Robins will be hoping that continues when they travel to Bramall Lane.
Diedhiou has already scored twice in the two FA Cup games he’s featured in, with a goal in each of the Portsmouth and Millwall game.
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Predicted lineups
Sheffield United (3-5-2): Ramsdale, Bogle, Basham, Egan, Ampadu, Osborn, Lundstram, Norwood, Fleck, Brewster, McBurnie
Bristol City (4-5-1): Bentley, Mariappa, Kalas, Mawson, Rowe, Semenyo, Vyner, Nagy, Massengo, Lansbury, Diedhiou
Sheffield United vs Bristol City will kick off at 7:30pm GMT on Wednesday 10th February 2021, and is available to watch, live from Bramall Lane, BBC iPlayer.