Despite languishing slightly above the relegation zone Sheffield United beat Conference table toppers Cambridge United to set up a glam tie at Aston Villa in early January 2014. Sheffield United managed to avoid an FA Cup upset as goals by Jose Baxter and Jamie Murphy guided them to a 2-0 victory at Skrill Premier Leaders Cambridge. The U's were looking for a second Sky Bet Football League scalp this week after knocking out Bury on Tuesday and started brightly, but were eventually kept at arm's length by their League One opponents. Both sides came close to an early breakthrough as Kwesi Appiah had a shot blocked by what he thought was an arm before Baxter's header was saved by keeper Chris Maxwell.
Baxter then gave the Blades the lead after 12 minutes when he met Ryan Flynn's low cross with a crisp, first-time finish that gave Maxwell no chance. Cambridge was almost level within two minutes when the Blades goalkeeper George Long produced a good block to deny Adam Cunnington. The U's hero from the last round, Luke Berry, then wasted a golden chance to level early in the second half as he ballooned a free header from Harrison Dunk's corner over. And he was made to regret that miss as Blades substitute Murphy doubled his side's lead when he was allowed to cut inside from the left before shooting inside the near post.
Blades boss Nigel Clough will welcome the news that he will have Tony McMahon and Aidy White available for selection after the pair missed last weekend’s cup tie; McMahon was serving a one-match suspension after picking up five bookings whilst White (on loan from Leeds United) was prevented from playing by his parent club. However Stephen McGinn was forced to leave the field injured in the first half at Cambridge and is unclear how bad his injury is - he is unlikely to feature against the Robins this weekend.
Swindon Town lay eighth in the League One table but head to Bramall Lane after having a quickly unforgettable day last Tuesday when they found joy in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. Having exited the FA Cup in the first round; they were beaten by four goals to nil at non-league outfit Macclesfield Town (who will now face Sheffield Wednesday in round 3) but after a 1-1 draw with Stevenage on Tuesday night won their JPT match three goals to one on penalties and will now face Peterborough United in the Southern Area Final.
In their last league fixture, on 30 November they beat Carlisle United by three goals to one. On-loan Tottenham midfielder Alex Pritchard inspired Swindon to a 3-1 home victory over Carlisle. Massimo Luongo fired home from Pritchard's whipped cross to open the scoring. Lee Miller nodded against a post before Carlisle did equalise through Sean O'Hanlon's header. Pritchard restored the Robins' lead with a lovely curling free-kick before substitute Dany N'Guessan tapped in Nile Rangers' cross. The home side could have been out of sight before the break and should have opened the scoring after 29 minutes but Nicky Ajose missed from a narrow angle after rounding goalkeeper Ben Amos.
However, it was not long before Swindon was ahead. Pritchard whipped in a fine cross for Australian Luongo to fire underneath Amos in the 36th minute. After Miller's header hit a post shortly before the interval, Graham Kavanagh's men came out brightly after half-time and O'Hanlon got Carlisle back on level terms when he headed a James Berrett delivery past Wes Foderingham midway through the second half.
Just three minutes later though Pritchard picked himself up after being fouled and curled a stunning free-kick past Amos to restore the Robins' lead with 72 minutes on the clock. Sub N'Guessan, who had only been on the pitch for a few seconds, put the icing on the cake in the dying moments when he tapped in Ranger's pass for his eighth goal of the campaign.
Robins boss Mark Cooper will see Full-Back Nathan Byrne return from suspension. He was dismissed in the 0-0 draw against Crawley and served a two match ban against Carlisle and Stevenage and is expected to return to the starting line-up at Bramall Lane.
Blades-Mad Prediction: Sheffield United 2 Swindon Town 1