Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United: Preview, Prediction & Lineups | EFL Championship 2025/26
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United — Match Info
The Steel City Derby returns to Hillsborough this Sunday, and the stakes have rarely been higher. This isn’t just a battle for local bragging rights; it’s a desperate “six-pointer” at the foot of the Championship table. Sheffield Wednesday, rooted to the bottom after a 12-point deduction and winless in nine, host a Sheffield United side that finds itself surprisingly in the relegation zone (22nd).
With Henrik Pedersen trying to steer the Owls through a crisis and Chris Wilder back for his third spell to save the Blades, the atmosphere will be toxic, tense, and electric. United are unbeaten in the last six derbies, but form often flies out the window when these two collide. Can Wednesday finally give their suffering fans a moment of joy, or will the Blades twist the knife deeper?
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United — Quick Match Info
- Fixture: Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United
- Competition: EFL Championship (Matchweek 16)
- Venue: Hillsborough, Sheffield (Capacity: 39,732)
- Date: Sunday, 23 November 2025
- Kickoff Time: 12:00 GMT / 13:00 CET / 17:30 IST
- Referee: Robert Madley
- TV Channel (UK): Sky Sports Football, Sky Sports Main Event
- TV Channel (USA): CBS Sports Network, Paramount+
- TV Channel (India): FanCode
- Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), Paramount+ (USA), FanCode (India)
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United — Match Context (2025/26 Season)
Sheffield Wednesday:
- Position: 24th (Bottom) in the Championship with -4 points (due to deduction).
- Form: Dismal. Winless in their last 9 games. Coming off a 3-1 loss to Southampton and a 1-1 draw with Norwich.
- Current Challenge: Overcoming a defensive injury crisis (Bernard, Godfrey out) and finding goals at home.
Sheffield United:
- Position: 22nd in the Championship (Relegation Zone).
- Form: Poor, but showing signs of life. A 3-1 win over Blackburn recently was followed by a tough run, but they stabilized with a 0-0 draw vs QPR.
- Current Challenge: Integrating Chris Wilder’s tactics (again) while dealing with massive midfield absences like Gustavo Hamer and Ollie Arblaster.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United — What’s at Stake
For Sheffield Wednesday:
- Survival Hope: A win won’t get them out of the negative points yet, but it would be a massive psychological boost. Losing to United at home while bottom of the league would be catastrophic for morale.
For Sheffield United:
- Wilder’s Revolution: Chris Wilder was brought back to save the season. Winning the derby is the fastest way to win back the fans and jump out of the relegation zone.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United — Team Form
Sheffield Wednesday (Last 5 Matches):
- L vs Southampton (1-3)
- D vs Norwich (1-1)
- D vs West Brom (0-0)
- L vs Oxford Utd (1-2)
- L vs Middlesbrough (0-1)
Sheffield United (Last 5 Matches):
- D vs QPR (0-0)
- L vs Coventry (1-3)
- L vs Derby (1-3)
- L vs Preston (2-3)
- W vs Blackburn (3-1)
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United — Team News
Sheffield Wednesday:
- Di’Shon Bernard: Out (Knee Injury – Key defender missing).
- Nathaniel Chalobah: Out (Hamstring Injury).
- Olaf Kobacki: Out (Groin Injury).
- Pierce Charles: Out (Shoulder Injury).
- Guilherme Siqueira: Out (Achilles Tendon).
- Liam Cooper: Available (New signing expected to start and lead the defense).
Sheffield United:
- Gustavo Hamer: Out (Knee Injury – Their most creative player is missing).
- Ollie Arblaster: Out (Knee Injury).
- Tahith Chong: Out (Knee Injury).
- Ben Godfrey: Out (Personal Reasons).
- Ben Mee: Questionable (Injury – Late fitness test).
- Chiedozie Ogbene: Questionable (Injury).
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United — Head to Head
- 16 Mar 2025: Sheffield Wed 0–1 Sheffield Utd
- 10 Nov 2024: Sheffield Utd 1–0 Sheffield Wed
- 05 Mar 2019: Sheffield Wed 0–0 Sheffield Utd
- 10 Nov 2018: Sheffield Utd 0–0 Sheffield Wed
- 13 Jan 2018: Sheffield Utd 0–0 Sheffield Wed
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United — Predicted Lineups
Sheffield Wednesday (3-4-2-1):
Pedersen will likely rely on a back three to match United’s system, with Barry Bannan pulling the strings.
- GK: Ethan Horvath
- CB: Dominic Iorfa
- CB: Liam Cooper
- CB: Max Lowe
- RWB: Yan Valery
- CM: Sean Fusire
- CM: Svante Ingelsson
- LWB: Harry Amass
- CAM: Barry Bannan (C)
- CAM: Jamal Lowe
- ST: Bailey Cadamarteri
Sheffield United (4-2-2-2):
Wilder loves his system. Without Hamer/Arblaster, Peck and Riedewald have huge responsibility in the middle.
- GK: Michael Cooper
- RB: Femi Seriki
- CB: Japhet Tanganga
- CB: Sam McCallum (or Ben Mee if fit)
- LB: Harrison Burrows
- CDM: Sydie Peck
- CDM: Jaïro Riedewald
- RAM: Andre Brooks
- LAM: Callum O’Hare
- ST: Danny Ings
- ST: Tyrese Campbell
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United — Impact Bench Options
Sheffield Wednesday:
- Iké Ugbo: The striker has pace and power. If the game is tight, bringing him on for Cadamarteri could stretch United’s tired legs.
- Charlie McNeill: The ex-Man Utd youngster is a wildcard option if they need a goal from nothing.
Sheffield United:
- Rhian Brewster: (Correction: Moved to Derby).
- Kieffer Moore: (If available/signed) brings aerial dominance.
- Jesurun Rak-Sakyi: If fit, his dribbling is a nightmare for defenders in the final 20 minutes.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United — Tactical Outlook
Sheffield Wednesday:
- Playing Style: Pragmatic Possession. Pedersen wants to control the ball through Bannan, but they lack cutting edge. Expect them to use the width of Valery and Amass to deliver crosses for Cadamarteri.
- Weakness: Set Pieces. Without Bernard’s height, they are vulnerable to United’s physical center-backs on corners.
Sheffield United:
- Playing Style: Aggressive Overloads. Wilder’s trademark overlapping center-backs might be shelved for a more solid 4-2-2-2 given the stakes. They will look to bypass midfield quickly to find O’Hare in the pockets.
- Strength: Experience. Players like Ings, Mee (if fit), and O’Hare have played in bigger pressure games than most of the Wednesday squad.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United — Key Battles
| Matchup | Battle Type | Edge |
| Barry Bannan vs. Sydie Peck | Master vs. Apprentice: Bannan runs the show for Wednesday. Peck must man-mark him out of the game. | Sheffield Wed |
| Liam Cooper vs. Danny Ings | Veteran Duel: Cooper knows Ings’ movement well. One slip from Cooper and Ings will punish him. | Sheffield Utd |
| Yan Valery vs. Harrison Burrows | Flank Speed: Both love to attack. Whoever forces the other to defend first wins the tactical battle on that side. | Tie |
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United — Spotlight Players
Barry Bannan (Sheffield Wednesday):
The captain, the talisman, the heartbeat. In derbies, Bannan often finds another level. His delivery from set-pieces will be Wednesday’s best chance of scoring. If he plays well, Wednesday play well.
Michael Cooper (Sheffield United):
The United goalkeeper will face a hostile Hillsborough crowd directly behind him. His shot-stopping has been good, but his distribution under pressure will be tested by Wednesday’s press. A clean sheet here makes him a hero.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United — Fan Reactions
Sheffield Wednesday Fans:
“We have nothing to lose. Everyone expects us to go down. Let’s just beat them and enjoy the weekend for once.”
“Liam Cooper starting is huge. We need a leader at the back.”
Sheffield United Fans:
“Wilder knows how to win these games. 1-0, ugly goal, I don’t care. Just win.”
“No Hamer and no Arblaster is worrying. Where is the creativity coming from?”
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United — Where to Watch
- UK: Sky Sports Football / Main Event
- USA: CBS Sports Network / Paramount+
- India: FanCode
- Australia: beIN Sports
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United — Match-Defining Factors
- The “Wilder” Factor: Chris Wilder’s record in Steel City derbies is excellent. He knows exactly what to say in the dressing room to fire up his players.
- Discipline: Red cards often decide these games. With Robert Madley refereeing, players need to be careful not to get swept up in the emotion.
- The First Goal: In the last 5 derbies, the team that scored first (or the game ended 0-0) never lost. It’s likely to be a low-scoring cagey affair.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United — Prediction
Score Prediction: Sheffield Wednesday 1–1 Sheffield United
Betting Insights:
- Outcome: Draw (Both teams are terrified of losing this one).
- Total Goals: Under 2.5 Goals (Recent H2H history is very low scoring: 0-1, 1-0, 0-0).
- Card Count: Over 4.5 Cards (It’s a derby, tackles will fly).
Analysis: A “fear of failure” will dominate this match. Wednesday are solidifying under Pedersen but lack goals; United are missing their creative spark (Hamer). A gritty, physical 1-1 draw seems the most logical outcome, leaving both sides frustrated but unbeaten.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United — Final Word
The Steel City Derby is back, and while the quality on the pitch might not be Premier League level, the passion certainly is. Sheffield United are slight favorites due to their recent dominance in this fixture, but Sheffield Wednesday’s desperation to survive might just be enough to earn them a point. Expect noise, tackles, and plenty of drama at Hillsborough.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United — FAQs
When is the Steel City Derby?
The match is on Sunday, 23 November 2025, at 12:00 GMT.
Is Gustavo Hamer playing?
No, Gustavo Hamer is ruled out with a knee injury, a significant blow for Sheffield United.
Who is the favorite to win?
Sheffield United are slight favorites with bookmakers due to their recent H2H record (unbeaten in 6 against Wednesday).
Where can I watch it in India?
You can stream the match live on FanCode.
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