Sheffield United continue to burn the bridges between third spot, going into Saturday?s clash with a seven point gap.
However, Blades fans can also thank their lucky stars, and Hull for that matter, as promotion rivals Leeds and Watford, both lost their previous game.
Lower down the league, newcomers Hull have silenced pre-season critics. This, as they lie in 16th, scrambling away from the dreaded drop zone. The North Yorkshire men were left with a bitter taste in their mouths, as the reverse fixture back in early January, finished in a solid 1-3 performance by the red and white wizards.
Neil Warnock is without the services of Gary Flitcroft, who twisted his ankle during training. Fellow midfielder Keith Gillespie is a doubt and will undergo a late fitness test. Defender Derek Geary played ninety minutes in a reserve match during the week, yet is unlikely to feature given recent stable defensive performances. Apart from this, the Blades chief is welcome to name the same starting line-up that played last Saturday.
As for the Tigers, Peter Taylor is boosted by not only the fact that they came out of the Leeds fixture unscathed, that also others have recovered from injury, ready to bolster his team. Ben Burgess (knee), Matt Duke and Ryan France are all fit for first team action. Despite this, Mark Lynch?s fitness is questioned having been ill of late.
As the Blades are about to enter a shattering anti-climax to an intense season, will Hull prove to be another twist in the promotion tale? With a seven point cushion at the right end of the league, five games remain, three home ties, two teams to be promoted automatically, one spot for it left, there is literally everything to play for. This should make for a very tasty Yorkshire derby indeed.
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