Stoke v Sheffield United

This is a match that when selected for TV coverage looked as though it would be highly impactful at both ends of the table. However, Stoke only have a small chance of relegation at this stage, and Sheffield United are guaranteed to finish third having seen their form plummet at the worst time of the season.

⭐ Stoke v Sheffield United Best Bet

➡️ Back Stoke to Win with bet365 @ 2.35

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It is difficult to predict what Sheffield United will do in this match. It must be a difficult mindset shift to achieve to go from looking likely to attain automatic promotion to knowing that you will finish third regardless of results in the last two matches.

As such, the motivation for the match must surely be stronger with Stoke. Whilst the chances of them being relegated are slim, the form of the teams at the bottom of the league is such that they can’t take their 50-point position for granted. They do not want their status undecided going into the final day.

Also, Stoke’s home form has been very strong lately. Three wins and two draws from their last five at the bet365 Stadium, and, if they can park their heavy defeat at Elland Road at the door and chalk it up to one of those days, then they should be in fine spirits to take their home form forward. Sheffield United have lost four in five, including their last three away matches, so that is also in Stoke’s favour.

Siding with a Stoke win at 2.35 is probably a better option than the Draw No Bet price of 1.73.

👕 Stoke v Sheffield United Predicted XI

🔍 Stoke v Sheffield United Players to Watch

⚫ Million Manhoef

Stoke’s highest shot volume player fires off 2.91 shots per 90 as an average over Stoke’s last 30 matches. Elland Road on Monday was the first time that Manhoef has started a Championship match and not had a shot in 17 Stoke matches. He has hit the three-shot line in 12 Championship matches this season.

➡️ Back Million Manhoef to have 3+ Shots with bet365 @ 1.67

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🔴 Ben Wilmot

Wilmot is the scorer of one of the strangest goals of the season from a couple of weeks ago when he jumped in front of a Pierce Charles clearance against Sheffield Wednesday, and it hit him in the back and went in. This still counts in his record as a shot and a goal, and he has six shots in his last six matches, not managing a shot in the horror show at Elland Road on Monday

➡️ Back Ben Wilmot to have 1+ Shots with bet365 @ 1.72 🔛

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⚪ Gustavo Hamer

Hamer has been Sheffield United’s most consistent attacking threat when taking the season as a whole. He averages 2.6 shots per 90 throughout the Championship season as a whole, including taking five shots in his last two matches. He has covered the two or more shot line in nine of his last 15 starts.

➡️ Back Gustavo Hamer to have 2+ Shots with bet365 @ 1.73 🔛

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📂 Stoke v Sheffield United Cheat Sheet

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💻 Stoke v Sheffield United Form and Tactics

Stoke have to, quite simply, totally ignore that match at Elland Road on Monday. They were totally blown away by Leeds, though, in truth, they were undone by their own poor defending, conceding two in the first 10 minutes, and four within 20 minutes. Before that, Stoke looked improved under Mark Robins; they had been unbeaten in five, and their home record is three wins and two draws in their last five at the Bet365 Stadium.

Robins sets Stoke up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Lewis Baker given a role between a pure #10 and an attacking #8 depending on the phase of the game. Stoke like to use a physical striker in the #9 position and tend to look a more coherent outfit when Sam Gallagher is fit to play that lone striker role. Bae and Manhoef on the flanks are the main goal and shot threats in the team.

It is a little bit difficult to predict what Sheffield United will do here. Obviously, as mentioned above, their season has totally changed following the confirmation of their third-place finish, and so we don’t yet know if Chris Wilder will heavily rotate ahead of the play-off campaign or try to produce some momentum by winning a couple of matches. At the moment, their form line is poor, losing four of their last five, including three straight away defeats, scoring only four goals in their last five matches.

Sheff Utd have been quite flexible in their approach all season, switching between back three and back four systems according to the situation. Hamza Choudhury has been key to this flexibility, he seems to have nailed this right-back/central midfielder role that he also employed for Leicester in the Championship last season. The only area of the pitch that we can be confident won’t change is the two central midfielders; they form the base of everything that Sheffield United need to do, working hard to close the space for the opposition.

It is likely that the left-sided attacker, usually Gus Hamer, will play narrow, allowing Harrison Burrows to get forward and provide the attacking width.

🏁 Stoke v Sheffield United Ref Watch

• Referee: Jared Gillett

• Stats are on a per 90 basis and are taken from 2024/25 Championship games (3 total)

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* I recommend waiting for confirmed team line-ups before placing any bets.

* All odds displayed correct at the time of publishing.