Bolton Wanderers vs Sheffield United; Sky Bet Championship
Bolton Wanderers vs Sheffield United. Sky Bet Championship.
Toughsheet Community StadiumAttendance14,848.
Bolton Wanderers 0
Sheffield United 3
- M Duffy (5th minute)
- K Freeman (22nd minute)
- J Fleck (73rd minute)
Bolton v Sheffield United preview
Friday 24 August 2018 10:33, UK
Bolton pair Sammy Ameobi and Will Buckley could feature against Sheffield United after successful returns to action in midweek.
Midfielder Ameobi played for over an hour of the 1-0 win against Birmingham on Wednesday after overcoming a hip injury. Buckley was also fit enough to feature as a second-half substitute after a thigh problem.
Summer signing Erhun Otzumer will again be in contention after making his first league start against Blues.
Sheffield United have Mark Duffy back after the midfielder missed last week's victory over Norwich due to illness. Forward David McGoldrick returned to action as a substitute following a dead leg against the Canaries.
George Baldock (knee) remains on the sidelines and fellow defender Kean Bryan is still building up his match fitness. Midfielder Paul Coutts is due to step up his recovery from a broken leg by playing in a friendly next week.
Opta stats
Bolton's home league defeat to Sheffield United last season was their first at home since April 1977, last losing back to back home league games against them in 1898.
Bolton and Sheffield United haven't shared a goalless league draw since November 1969, with there being at least one goal in all 27 league meetings since then.
Bolton have won three of their first four Championship matches this season - it took them 20 matches to win three in 2017-18.
Sheffield United striker Billy Sharp hasn't ended on the losing side in any of the last 36 matches he's scored in for the Blades in all competitions (W29 D7).
Bolton's Will Buckley has scored in two of his last three league games - his previous two league goals came over a period of 44 matches.
Sheffield United haven't won consecutive away league matches since a run of three in September 2017.
Prutton's prediction
David Prutton predicts: 1-1 (5/1 with Sky Bet)