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Will the Blades become the victim or will United continue Derby County’s search for a victory and stretch it to almost a year.
The Rams go into the game still looking for their first win of the season, and for former Wednesday manager Paul Jewell, his first win in charge of County.
Jewell has found himself under pressure already at Pride Park and will be looking to get his and his team’s season back on track with a win over The Blades, who currently lie 5th.
Vital Quotes:
‘Every manager goes through bad spells but it is strange that such a lengthy one can happen to Paul Jewell who is a proven top level manager.
‘If I knew what it took to put things right at Derby I am sure that Paul would have done it already.
‘On paper they have a very good squad with proven Premiership players, and others who have actually been promoted from the Championship, so their plight is a real mystery.
‘In Roy Carroll they have a top goalkeeper, there are some experienced defenders, in midfield they are strong with Savage and Paul Green – who impressed me at Doncaster – and Hulse has scored goals throughout his career.
‘But I can’t afford to get caught up in their problems or worries that their run could end against us. We have to play our own game and if we play as well as we train we shall do alright.
‘I am sure that Paul Jewell has all the motivational tools he needs to get his team going as they are wanting to end their barren run, the game is on live television, and they are playing against a highly fancied team in ourselves.’
‘We hope to capitalise on their current bad run and we shall send out a team that is certainly good enough to do the job, but we will always be wary of letting fate lending a hand.
‘I have had Rob Hulse twice and respect his abilities well. He is a top lad and each time I have sold him it was for financial reasons that benefited first Leeds and then ourselves because it was sensible, not because I didn’t rate him.
‘He might not have scored yet but strikers have a habit of turning the tables on their old clubs and we have already had Danny Cadamarteri and Steve Kabba do that to us already this season.’
Derby County Team News:
Ex Blades striker Rob Hulse will be looking to get his first goal as a Derby County player and as Kevin Blackwell says, he will no be looking to do it against us, just as Steve Kabba did three weeks ago for Blackpool.
Player to watch: Rob Hulse
Sheffield United Team News:
Keith Gillespie has recovered from an ankle injury picked up in pre season, and could be in contention for a place. Matthew Spring & Gary Speed are both reported to have picked up ankle knocks also, but it’s only Spring that is still struggling.
Player to watch: James Beattie
A substitute appearance in the 0-0 draw with Cardiff City two weeks ago, left Blades fans crying out for more. Beattie will be pushing for a start against the Rams’ but who would Blackwell drop? Would it be the £2million Henderson or the homegrown Blade, Billy Sharp?
Match Facts & Stats
Derby County 0
Sheffield United 1
Ade Akinbiyi
Derby: Camp, Hajto, Johnson, Smith, Bolder (Peschisolido 73), Edworthy, Holmes (Jackson 58), Moore, Idiakez, Barnes (Doyle 85), Graham.
Unused: Poole, Bisgaard.
Blades: Kenny, Bromby, Short, Jagielka, Ifill (Gillespie 67), Akinbiyi, Shipperley (Kabba 80), Tonge, Armstrong, Unsworth, Geary.
Unused: Morgan, Quinn, Montgomery
Match Prediction:
Rams fans aren’t confident of a good result in this, but to be honest I’m not expecting this game to be a walkover. Some very good players in the Derby side, but I expect a nervy performance from the home team, just as United suffered under Bryan Robson.
Derby 0 – 1 Sheffield United.
Next Fixtures:
16th Coventry City (h)
19th Norwhich City (a)