Bristol City v Sheffield United: Spring regrets for Blades and Robins

Back in May 2025, Chris Wilder's play-off favourites delivered a magnificent statement of intent by all but rubber-stamping a Wembley play-off final berth with a stunning 3-0 victory in their Championship semi-final first leg at Bristol City. For those Blades supporters who left Severnside so full of hope on that memorable May evening, it must seem like an eternity away ahead of their latest trip to this part of the West Country.

Certainly, for Chris Wilder as well.

In fairness, those with home affiliations are entitled to think the same.

This time last year, City were right in the thick of the play-off picture and went onto clinch qualification for the end-of-season jamboree, at second-tier level, for the first time in 17 years.

Since then, the Robins have reverted to type in being positioned in the mid-table area which has frequently been their preserve since returning to the Championship at the end of the 2014-15 campaign.

They are currently 13th, four places and three points above the Blades with six games remaining.

Wilder's side could – and should - have been a couple closer, but for their recent propensity to switch off and concede sloppy goals resurfacing again in Good Friday's 3-3 draw with Swansea City at Bramall Lane.

The visitors secured an unlikely-looking point after scoring twice in the final quarter.

It has left the experienced Blades chief with some selection posers ahead of the trip to Ashton Gate. Wilder said: "With performance levels, it wasn't horrific leading up to that 75 minutes.

"But the game doesn't last for 75 minutes.

"I'm looking at my bench and going 'who really deserves to to to be on the pitch; I'm not sure any of them at the moment.'

"If I play Ki-Jana (Hoever); I think Femi (Seriki) is the right person for us and Ki-Jana's not going to be here next year so I want to give Femi minutes.

"Nobody's challenging Harrison (Burrows – inset) at the moment. In the centre-half position, I still think that it was possibly our best two centre halves (on Friday), but we have to deal with moments.

"I thought that in the last 15 to 20 minutes, individually, we weren't great 'in the moment'.

"Sydie (Peck) has come back from England (under-21s) and I thought he was decent and we changed Jairo (Riedewald) for Joe (Rothwell) which I thought was the right thing to do.

"Gus (Hamer) scores and does what he does. I think we all realise that we saw a drop off (after) and that can't happen. I don't want to take my best player off the pitch..."

Historically, Ashton Gate is, at least, a happy hunting ground for United, who have won on their last three visits there.

All told, six victories have been registered in their previous eight trips to the red half of Bristol and they have been beaten just once.