Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough. Sky Bet Championship.
Bramall LaneAttendance24,805.
Watch live on Sky Sports Action from 7.40pm on Wednesday
Wednesday 13 February 2019 10:32, UK
Sheffield United will be without Chris Basham at home to fellow Championship promotion contenders Middlesbrough on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports Action from 7.40pm.
Basham is suspended after he received his 10th yellow card of the season during the thrilling 3-3 draw at Aston Villa. Martin Cranie is likely to be recalled, having deputised for Basham when he missed the New Year's Day win at Wigan.
Marvin Johnson is also unavailable for the Blades as he is ineligible to face his parent club, but Scott Hogan should return to the squad after missing out against Villa.
Boro boss Tony Pulis might make a couple of changes to his starting line up. Britt Assombalonga needed a fitness test before being included in the squad against Leeds at the weekend but the striker came on as a substitute and he will hope to be recalled.
Mo Besic also had to settle for a place on the bench on Saturday and he could be restored to the team. Boro are unbeaten in the Championship in 2019 and would move within a point of their opponents with victory at Bramall Lane.
Sheffield United have lost four of their last five league matches against Middlesbrough, winning the other 2-1 at Bramall Lane last season.
Middlesbrough have won just one of their last nine away matches at Sheffield United in all competitions (D2 L6), a 2-1 win in April 2011 under Tony Mowbray.
Sheffield United are unbeaten in 12 home league games played on Wednesday (W9 D3) since losing 0-1 in March 1993 against Norwich City.
Middlesbrough have only lost consecutive away games in all competitions under Tony Pulis once previously, losing to Norwich and Cardiff in February 2018.
Since the start of 2016-17, Sheffield United have won 70% of their home league games when Billy Sharp has started (35/50) compared to just 27% when he hasn't started (3/11).
Britt Assombalonga has scored three of Middlesbrough's last four away Championship goals, all as a substitute.
Once you get to the 90th minute of a game, you presume that a 1-0 lead will be enough. But when 12 minutes of added time was shown in Middlesbrough's game with Leeds last Saturday, it gave the opposition impetus and Kalvin Phillips scored a late equaliser.
The same could be said for United. I don't think Chris Wilder will have necessarily read them the riot act, but he'll have been animated and honest in his appraisal of what he saw from his side against Villa. To be 3-0 up after 82 minutes and then to draw 3-3, I think Billy Sharp's face on the bench said it all. I sense there will be a reaction at Bramall Lane, which is a great place to play football when it's bouncing.
David Prutton predicts: 2-1 (17/2 with Sky Bet)
