Nottingham Forest v Sheffield United: Blackwell wary of threat posed by troubled Forest

The promotion-chasing Reds have suffered a dip in form by losing three of their last four games to surrender ground in the race for automatic promotion.

West Bromwich Albion have taken advantage to leapfrog over Billy Davies's side and now enjoy a four-point advantage over Forest.

Ahead of United's trip to the City Ground, manager Blackwell said: "It is a big game because they are only 30 miles down the road from us. It is a big challenge because we are both going for promotion.

"People might think this is the ideal time to get at Forest because they have lost three of their last four games but I don't subscribe to that theory.

"They are going to be like a wounded animal and we know that makes them very dangerous opposition. We are going to have to be at our best to get anything."

Forest's latest setback came at Doncaster Rovers on Saturday when a section of the visiting supporters left Davies incensed by booing his side after their 1-0 defeat.

As someone who has also come in for stick from the Bramall Lane boo boys this season, Blackwell has plenty of

sympathy for his Forest counterpart.

The Blades chief, who is expected to name an unchanged line-up tonight despite two of his players having picked up niggling injuries against Bristol City, said: "Billy has done a great job at Forest.

"They are where they are on merit so he is obviously doing a lot more right than wrong.

"Billy must be one of the most successful managers outside the Premier League over the past half a dozen years but he still gets criticism.

"It is unbelievable, it is unfair, but there is not a lot you can do about it.

"Billy will have been hurt and angry over what happened at Doncaster – and I have to say as a fellow manager I have got every sympathy with him," he said.

"He has done a great job at every club he has been at and at the moment he must be thinking 'what more can I do?'

"He must be thinking that even if his team played like Barcelona and scored 10 goals every game, then some fans would still have a go and say 'they have done that because the opposition were rubbish'."

Last six games: Nottingham Forest WWLWLL, Sheffield United WLLDLW.

Referee: N Miller (County Durham).

Last time: Nottingham Forest 0 Sheffield United 1; December 9, 2008; Championship.