Championship expert pinpoints one ‘reason’ behind bizarre Stoke City vs Sheffield United score prediction

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A bad week for Chris Wilder could be about to get worse, as one Stoke City vs Sheffield United score prediction suggests the Blades could be stunned this weekend.

After a strong season, Sheffield United paid the ultimate price for their recent run of poor form when defeat to Burnley on Monday evening ended the automatic promotion race once and for all.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	LeedsLeeds	44	27	13	4	89	29	60	94
2	BurnleyBurnley	44	26	16	2	61	15	46	94
3	Sheff UtdSheffield Utd	44	27	7	10	60	35	25	86
4	SunderlandSunderland	44	21	13	10	58	41	17	76
5	Bristol CityBristol City	44	17	16	11	57	49	8	67
6	CoventryCoventry	44	19	9	16	62	57	5	66

Leeds United and Burnley will go up as the top two this year, while Chris Wilder’s men will have to power through the Championship play-offs if they are to escape the second tier and make it to the promised land of the Premier League.

Next up is a trip to the bet365 Stadium to face a struggling Stoke City side who are still looking over their shoulders at the Championship relegation battle.

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Experts predict another defeat for Sheffield United

Offering up their weekly round-up on the Championship Check-In podcast, Benjamin Bloom and Sam Parkin shared their Stoke City vs Sheffield United score prediction, with a shocking outcome. But, it all depends on one big decision from Wilder.

Bloom said: “This is where it gets difficult. You don’t quite know, are Sheffield United just going to play the reserves now for the remaining two games now?”

Parkin replied: “Quite possibly. That was my narrative for Sunderland, but you never know what they’re going to do. I would imagine it’s an opportunity to give fringe players some minutes.

“For that reason, I’ll go for Stoke to get themselves fully safe in this game, which’ll afford them an off-game against Derby [on the final day]. I’ll go for 1-0 Stoke.”

Bloom added: “I can see Sheffield United calming down, getting set for the play-offs, a few players who are guaranteed for those games not featuring here and having a bit of a rest and recollect themselves.

“I can see a Stoke win, too. I’m going to go 3-1. No idea why I’ve got Stoke scoring three against a very good, defensive Sheffield United side, but we can’t judge them in these final two games like we have over the rest of the season.”

Mark Robins will be pleased to hear the pundits backing his team for this one as they desperately scrap for any and every point they can to survive.

After a heavy defeat to Leeds on Monday, Robins demanded ‘better’ from his team going into the weekend, and admitted the relegation fight is not over for the Potters.

• READ MORE: The astonishing amount Rhian Brewster has cost Sheffield United per goal as contract nears end

Sheffield United will not take their foot off the gas against Stoke

While resting players for these next two games does make sense in theory, the idea of Chris Wilder taking it easy at any point in the season just feels unrealistic.

The Sheffield United manager is relentlessly competitive and he will not want to give anything away against Stoke. In many ways, getting the three points now is just as important for the Blades as it is for Stoke, in terms of the momentum it would generate.

Wilder intends to end United’s play-off curse this season, and that mission doesn’t start with the semi-finals, it starts right now.

Wilder and Robins may be friends, but we should not expect any favours from either side on Friday night.