Sheffield United and Queens Park Rangers have met each other 35 times in all competitions professionally, starting with a 1-0 victory in the FA Cup in 1923 at Loftus Road. Except for the Blades six-year spell in League One, in the last two decades, the Blades and the Hoops have played several times
The 2009-10 campaign saw both sides meet each other on four occasions, twice in the Championship, and twice in the FA Cup. United, under the stewardship of Kevin Blackwell, would finish the season in 8th whilst QPR would finish 13th, but hampered by a change in several managers during the season.
Their first meeting came at Loftus Road in the league on 19th December with the score finishing 1-1. Richard Cresswell was a thorn in the Rangers side throughout the campaign, after scoring in each of the four matches against QPR. He was on target in the first meeting of the season after he finished Toni Kallio’s pass on 8 minutes, cancelling out former Blade Mikele Leigertwood’s goal on 2 minutes in what was Hoops boss Paul Hart’s first match in charge.
The Blades and the London club were drawn together in the third round of the FA Cup on 3rd January at Bramall Lane. Typically, the game finished 1-1, though it would be the visitors who struck first via Jay Simpson. United had come close early-doors after Stephen Quinn struck the crossbar from Henri Camera’s cross. They levelled in first-half stoppage-time after Quinn’s cross was expertly headed home by Creswell. They were denied victory after Ched Evans’s free-kick struck the crossbar.
A replay at Loftus Road was required nine days later. The reward for the victors, a trip to Premier League Bolton Wanderers. United looked to be on course to march through to the next round with ease after storming into a three-goal lead through goals from Lee Williamson on 19 minutes after he drilled home from Nick Montgomery’s pass. In the second half, two quickfire goals from Jamie Ward on 68 minutes, and Cresswell two minutes later. United was given a late scare. Akos Buzsaky pulled one back a minute later from the penalty spot, and Damion Stewart netted two minutes from time but the Blades held firm to secure victory. They were defeated by two goals to nil in Round 4 at Bolton.
The final encounter that season between the two sides came at Bramall Lane on 13th March and in the same fashion as the earlier league encounter, finished 1-1. By this time, QPR had their third manager of the season with former Blades boss, Neil Warnock, making a return to the Bramall Lane dugout. United had taken the lead on 44 minutes through Creswell’s header from Mark Yeates cross. Rangers had missed a golden opportunity before falling behind when Hogan Ephraim hit the post with his effort. Shortly after the break, the visitors levelled after Adel Taarabt charged through to fire home past Mark Bunn.
Whilst Sheffield United won just one of the four matches played against QPR that season, with the remaining fixtures all ending 1-1, striker Richard Cresswell was certainly a menace for the London club with the Blades seasons’ top scorer netting 4 of his 14 goals against Rangers.