MY ACCOUNT
– Sheffield United have won six of their last eight Championship away games
– The Blades were level at the break in four of those six wins
– Recommended bet: Back Tie/Sheffield United
Wigan will look to build on the draw they got at Millwall when Kolo Toure takes charge of his first home game with the visit of promotion-chasing Sheffield United to the DW Stadium on Monday.
Toure had to settle for a point on his managerial debut as the Latics and Millwall played out an entertaining 1-1 draw in London last Saturday.
But the Ivorian was full of praise for his players as they adapted to his coaching methods and a new system with apparent ease.
The Blades kept up the pressure on leaders Burnley as Billy Sharp ended his 20-game goal drought in their 1-0 win over Huddersfield.
Manager Paul Heckingbottom hopes that strike will open the floodgates for the United marksman.
Team news
Toure switched to a 4-2-3-1 set-up after the Latics had deployed a three-at-the-back system in their previous two games under Leam Richardson and caretaker Rob Kelly.
He looks likely to keep faith with the formation and most of the players that fought hard for the point at The Den last weekend.
Nathan Broadhead could, therefore, get another chance in the striker’s role with Will Keane operating just behind the on-loan Everton frontman.
Rarmani Edmonds-Green is pushing for a spot in central defence, but Curtis Tilt looks likely to retain his place alongside Jack Whatmough.
Toure is without several defensive options through injury, such as Ryan Nyambe (knee), Tom Pearce (knee) and Jason Kerr (ACL).
Blades boss Heckingbottom is likely to make a couple of changes, but there is no reason to tinker with a watertight defence.
Anel Ahmedhodzic, Ciaran Clark and John Egan will continue in United’s back three with George Baldock and Enda Stevens keeping Jayden Bogle and Max Lowe out in the wing-back positions.
Sander Berge could be recalled in midfield with Ben Osborn at risk of dropping to the bench while Oli McBurnie could be restored to the forward line alongside Iliman Ndiaye.
The stats
With 116 league goals in Sheffield United’s colours Billy Sharp is now ninth on the all-time Blades goalscoring list, one goal behind Jimmy Hagan.
Only Millwall (15) and the Blades (10) have scored more set-piece goals than Wigan (9) in the Championship this season.
Oliver Norwood leads the entire Championship in progressive passes (147) and progressive passes per game (6.7).
Wigan’s Max Power has recorded the third-most progressive passes in the second tier with 117.
In tackles and interceptions combined, Norwood averages 4.22 per game, making him the fourth-best player in the division at breaking up play.
Prediction
Toure enjoyed a relatively successful debut in charge of Wigan, but things go up a notch with a visit from one of the automatic promotion favourites.
The Blades have won each of their last three road games with clean sheets and have more promotion-winning experience scattered around their squad than anywhere else in the Championship.
Patience has been the key to United’s last two away victories — when the winning goal was scored after half-time.
And with Wigan looking much more solid at the back in their 1-1 draw at Millwall last weekend, the Tie/Sheffield United option looks an attractive play at LiveScore Bet’s odds of 18/5.
The Latics have been all square at the break in four of their last six Champioship contests, but went on to lose three of them.
