The Blades travelled to Newcastle last Saturday to play in front of a live Sky TV audience searching for their first away goal of the season and more importantly their first victory on the road. With 69 minutes gone on the clock the Blades got it via a Danny Webber header, 1-0.
Sheffield United continue to be without the services of Midfield outfit Michael Tonge who is sustaining an ankle injury as will full-back Leigh Bromby (hamstring) who also sat out the victory at Newcastle.
Star striker Adi Akinbiyi has also recently become an injury casualty with an hamstring injury with no comeback date yet to be set with Chris Armstrong (knee) ruled out for four weeks giving a clear passage for Derek Geary or David Unsworth to take his place.
Another forward sidelined is Steve Kabba who hurt his shoulder during the win in the North East and should be replaced by Christian Nadé on the substitutes bench.
Possible Blades Line-Ups: Paddy Kenny, Robert Kozluk, Phil Jagielka, Claude Davis, Derek Geary, Mikele Leigertwood, Keith Gillespie, Nick Montgomery, Alan Quinn, Danny Webber, Rob Hulse.
Bolton Wanderers will attempt to get back on track at Bramall Lane after failing to win in their last three games without scoring; and recording a humiliating 4-0 home defeat to the hands of Manchester United.
They lost 1-0 at home to Wigan Athletic last Saturday with Lee McCulloch producing the goal, despite this the Trotters lye an healthy third place and vying for a Champions League place come May.
Wanderers boss Sam Alladyce will welcome back skipper Kevin Nolan who returns from a three-match suspension at receiving a red card at Blackburn Rovers on 22 October in the clubs last victory.
On the casualty front the Lancastrians will be with Quinton Fortune (calf), Joey O'Brien (knee) and Ricardo Gardner (Anterior Cruciate Ligament).
Possible Trotters Line-Up: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Abdoulaye Meite, Tal Ben-Haim, Diagne-Faye, Gary Speed, Ramos Ivan Campo, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Kevin Davies, El Hadji Diouf, Nicolas Anelka, Henrik Pedersen.
Man in the Middle: Alan G. Wiley (Staffordshire)
Referee Alan Wiley will take charge of a second Sheffield United fixture this season having already took charge of the Blades first ever visit to the Emeriates Stadium where the Yorkshire side lost 3-0 to Arsenal.
- 03 Mar 1998 - Sheffield United 0-1 Ipswich Town
- 12 Sep 1998 - Bradford City 2-2 Sheffield United
- 02 Jan 1999 - Sheffield United 1-1 Nott's County (FAC3)
- 23 Jan 1999 - Nott's County 3-4 Sheffield United (FAC3r)
- 01 Jan 2001 - Sheffield United 1-3 Manchester City
- 03 Dec 2002 - Sheffield United 2-0 Sunderland (LC)
- 21 Jan 2003 - Liverpool 2-0 Sheffield United (LCSF)
- 11 Sep 2004 Sheffield United 1-2 West Ham United
- 21 Oct 2005 Leeds United 1-1 Sheffield United
- 22 Sep 2006 - Arsenal 3-0 Sheffield United
Blades-Mad Prediction: Sheffield United 1-0 Bolton Wanderers