Sheffield United were originally meant to have travelled to Hertfordshire on 9th January until the bleak snow blizzard cancelled all but a dozen fixtures that particular weekend, and now the Blades and the Hornets can finally contest this Coca-Cola Championship fixture. However it still comes of a risk of being cancelled after Watford were forced to postpone there Championship home tie with Swansea City this weekend.
United were on the road again when they travelled to the Hawthorns last Saturday to face West Bromwich Albion, and with a mixture of poor refereeing decisions and a terrible display by United were handed a football lesson by the Baggies in a 3-1 defeat.
The Blades faced Watford in what was the Blades first home fixture of the new 2009/10 Championship season; the home side won comfortably two-nil with goals from Jamie Ward (12) and Ched Evans (63), whilst David Cotterill strummed the post later on.
Blades boss Kevin Blackwell will be forced to make wholesale changes to his squad, in particular his back four with Marcel Seip (hamstring) out injured with Jonathan Fortune likely to cover in his absence. He will also be without midfielder Lee Williamson (hamstring) and left full-back Andy Taylor (groin) - James Harper and Jordan Stewart could take their places.
Winger Mark Yeates signed for the Bramall Lane club little over a week ago from Middlesbrough and played just five minutes against Reading, coming off as a very late second half substitute - he could make his full debut at the Vicarage Road tomorrow night should the game go ahead.
Blades boss Kevin Blackwell could turn to three former Hornets in the form of; defender Jordan Stewart, forward Darius Henderson and midfielder Lee Williamson (injured).
Stewart signed for the Hornets in a £125,000 deal from Leicester City in July 2005; making his debut in a 2-1 home defeat to Preston North End (Darius Henderson the Watford scorer) and played in the Play-Off Final victory (3-0) over Leeds United at the end of that season before joining Derby County in May 2008. During his time at Vicarage Road he made 104 (+13) appearances and scored just twice.
Meanwhile Williamson made his £500,000 move from Watford this season was snapped up (along with Will Hoskins) from Rotherham United in January 2007; making his debut as a substitute in a 4-0 defeat at Manchester United. He made 64 (+14) appearances and scored five goals before leaving the Vic.
Henderson made a move from Watford (for £2,000,000) in July 2008 after three years at the Hertfordshire club. He had originally been signed from Swindon Town in a £450,000 deal. In his first season with the club he helped them win promotion to the Premier League via the back-door; netting a penalty in their 3-0 win over Leeds United in the Championship Play-Off Final in Cardiff. He left the club having made 96 (+21) appearances and scored 31 goals.
Last Blades Line-Up: Mark Bunn, Kyle Walker, Chris Morgan, Jonathan Fortune, Jordan Stewart, Jamie Ward, Nick Montgomery, James Harper, Stephen Quinn, Darius Hernderson, Ched Evans.
Watford saw their home fixture with Swansea City postponed last Saturday due to a frozen pitch; this could put the Championship
tie with Sheffield United in doubt if the temperatures continue at zero Celsius through the night.
The Vicarage Road club are expected to be without Scott Severin (groin) who is there only absentee through injury, though they could hand home debuts to Will Buckley and Stephen McGinn - the pair have joined permanently from Rochdale and St Mirren respectively and could make their first starts for the club against the Blades.
Hornet's manager Malky Mackay could turn to former Blades Jon Harley and John-Joe O'Toole (currently on-loan at Colchester United) in their quest for three points at Bramall Lane tomorrow.
Defender Harley had three spells at the Lane having featured twice on loan before making a full (and free) transfer from Fulham in June 2004, in all (including loan spells) the former Chelsea defender made 71 (+1) starts and scored on three occasions. He left United in August 2005 and joined Lancastrian outfit Burnley.
Midfielder O'Toole spent time at the Lane last season on loan; joining in February 2009 until the remainder of the season's end. He made his Blades debut in as a substitute in a 2-1 win at Coventry City and went onto make 5 (+4) appearances whilst scoring once in a 2-1 home win over Barnsley.
Possible Hornets Line-Up: Scott Loach, Adrian Mariappa, Jay DeMerit, Lloyd Doyley, Lee Hodson, Henri Lansbury, Michael Bryan, Don Crowie, Tom Cleverley, John Eustace, Danny Graham.
Blades-Mad Prediction: Watford 0-1 Sheffield United
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:: Statistics ::
For Head to Head statistics please click here.
Last 10 Games... Home & Away
Season | Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition |
2008/2009 | Sat 17 Jan | Watford | Sheff. Utd. | Championship | |
Sat 27 Sep | Sheff. Utd. | Watford | Championship | ||
2007/2008 | Tue 29 Jan | Sheff. Utd. | Watford | Championship | |
Sat 18 Aug | Watford | Sheff. Utd. | Championship | ||
2006/2007 | Sat 28 Apr | Sheff. Utd. | Watford | Premiership | |
Tue 28 Nov | Watford | Sheff. Utd. | Premiership | ||
2005/2006 | Mon 06 Feb | Sheff. Utd. | Watford | Championship | |
Sat 17 Sep | Watford | Sheff. Utd. | Championship | ||
2004/2005 | Sat 23 Apr | Watford | Sheff. Utd. | Championship | |
Sat 13 Nov | Sheff. Utd. | Watford | Championship |
Head to Head Statistics... | Goals | |||||
Venue | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against |
Home | 19 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 32 | 20 |
Away | 20 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 24 | 21 |
Total | 39 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 56 | 41 |
* Statistics correct up to and including 01/08/2009