Manchester United v Sheffield United - Six of the best for Blades

The Blades renew acquaintances with a glamour FA Cup third-round trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United early in the New Year - with fans salivating at the prospect of it already.

A massive contingent of travelling Blades will head east and take their places in the old Scoreboard End - and it is truly an occasion to savour in the club’s first-ever FA Cup sojourn to Old Trafford.

Truth be told, the Blades’ recent history against the Red Devils is not great - six losses in their past six outings. But delve into the history between both clubs and the Blades have certainly had some more memorable dates.

Here’s a look at six of the best - for Blades fans at least.

1: Manchester United 1 (Kidd) Sheffield United 2 (Dearden, Eddy), April 23, 1973.

Mine’s a double. Goals from Billy Dearden and Keith Eddy secured a rare seasonal double for the Blades over the red side of Manchester - all this after Brian Kidd had put the Red Devils, then managed by Tommy Docherty, in front. At the end of the season, the Blades finished 14th, four places above the Mancunians.

2: Sheffield United (Woodward) 1 Manchester United 0, September 30, 1972.

The first part of that aforementioned double, but Lane fans had to wait a fair while for the breakthrough, which arrived two minutes from the end when Alan Woodward kept his cool to convert from the spot to heap the pressure upon Frank O’Farrell.

3: Manchester United 1 (Macari) Sheffield United 2 (Currie, Woodward), Boxing Day 1973.

As the Blades song goes, we ain’t got a barrel of money, but we’ve got Woodward and Currie. And the two Lane legends helped themselves to a goal apiece to make Christmas 1973 a memorable one for Unitedites. Lou Macari, recently arrived from Celtic, put the hosts ahead on 12 minutes, but Currie levelled 14 minutes later - and Woodward fired the winner. Happy Christmas! The win moved the Blades until to 12th, with the hosts deep in trouble in third from bottom in a season when they famously got relegated.

4: Sheffield United 2 (Hoyland, Hodges) Manchester United 1 (Giggs), FA Cup 1993, February 14, 1993.

A Valentine’s Day that no Blades supporter worth their salt will forget. A massacre by no means, but a cherished result watched by a nationwide audience in a fifth-round Roses FA Cup tie.

Ryan Giggs put the visitors ahead on the half-hour, but Lancastrian midfielder Hoyland - who started his career at neighbouring Manchester City - bundled in a leveller just four minutes laterbefore the mercurial Glyn Hodges coolly lobbed the winner in the 40th minute. Happy days for the Blades, at least until they were knocked out by Wednesday in the all-Steel City Wembley semi-final.

5: Sheffield United 2 (Deane 2) Manchester United 1 (Hughes), August 15, 1992

A milestone goal from Brian Deane in front of the Shoreham Street End created history as the frontman became the first player to score in the new Premier League on a sweltering opening day to the 1992-93 campaign.

Deane fired the hosts in front just five minutes in and added a second from the spot in the 50th minute. Mark Hughes pulled one back just after the hour, but it was the Blades’ day.

6: Sheffield United 2 Deane, Bradshaw) Manchester United 1 (Blackmore), February 26, 1991.

Goals from Brian Deane and boyhood Unitedite Carl Bradshaw earned the Blades the spoils to continue their remarkable renaissance in the second half of 1990-91 under Dave Bassett.

Deane put the Blades ahead five minutes after the break, only for Clayton Blackmore to level two minutes later from the spot - before Bradshaw fired the winner 18 minutes from time.

It was the hosts’ fourth win in a row in an irresistible sequence which saw them win a magnificent seven victories on the spin to propel themselves from relegation fodder to mid-tablers.