Match Pack: Saints vs Sheffield United
The first outing in a big double gameweek, Saints host Sheffield United at St Mary's in the Championship. Get clued up ahead of Wednesday night with our Match Pack...
THE MATCH
Southampton vs Sheffield United
Sky Bet Championship
St Mary’s Stadium
Wednesday 21st January, 7.45pm GMT
THE OFFICIALS
Referee: Thomas Kirk
Assistants: Matthew Smith, Sam Lewis
Fourth official: Andrew Humphries
THE KITS
Saints will be in their traditional home colours, with the Blades in their third kit, consisting of all-lilac.
TICKETS
Tickets are on general sale for this Category C fixture, with prices starting from £20 for Adults and £10 for Juniors.
Saints vs Sheffield United tickets
LIVE COVERAGE
For those unable to make it to St Mary's, Saints Play match passes are available to supporters outside the UK.
THE PROGRAMME
The matchday programme is available to order online, as well as from the various sellers around St Mary’s.
This special edition covered Saturday's clash with Hull as well as Wednesday’s home clash with Sheffield United, and will be available once again at the stadium.
The double issue contains a feature interview with new Saints stopper Daniel Peretz, as well as Tonda Eckert’s latest notes, a lowdown on the Blades and a tribute to former Saint Martin Chivers, who recently passed away at the age of 80.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Suffering a first home defeat in seven last time out against Hull, Saints will want to build some momentum and confidence heading into Sunday's south coast derby at Portsmouth.
Tonda Eckert's side will be looking to complete the double over Sheffield United, having left Bramall Lane with a 2-1 win thanks to a Ross Stewart double in September.
The Yorkshire outfit head south after back-to-back defeats in the FA Cup and Championship. League One Mansfield stunned Chris Wilder's side in the third round of the cup with a 4-3 win, before losing to Charlton last weekend.
The Blades had two players sent off in the opening 45 minutes and will head to St Mary's with depleted numbers.
TEAM NEWS
Saints: Mads Roerslev and Shea Charles, who returned to training last week, could be close to entering the equation, while Oriol Romeu remains a doubt with an ankle problem.
James Bree is also eligible for selection having returned from his loan spell at Charlton Athletic over the weekend.
Sheffield United: Failing an appeal, Japhet Tanganga will serve the first of a three-match suspension, along with Djibril Soumaré.
Elsewhere, Jairo Riedewald has been ruled out with a hamstring injury while Tyler Bindon will be assessed after coming at half-time against Charlton due to illness.
THE MANAGERS
Tonda Eckert: "We need a little bit more conviction from very deep inside, because if you look at the data of the game and also for [all of] the games, I think it's very clear but there is something fundamental to the game that comes from very deep inside and that’s what we need to put on the pitch.
"We need to look forward, it doesn't bring us anywhere talking too much about the past and we have to look forward and we have a big game coming up tomorrow."
Chris Wilder: "They've got good players, they've got some really good players. From a stats point of view, a false position, but these things can happen.
"In terms of the game and watching them, a very technical team. A lot of good players, you'll see the teamsheet tomorrow and there will be recognised top Championship players. A lot of good players that can hurt you."
ONES TO WATCH
Ross Stewart: Being eased back into action following a three-month spell on the sidelines, the striker has hinted at carrying on where he left off before picking up a hamstring injury.
Given five minutes at Middlesbrough a fortnight ago, a longer 20-minute spell from the bench against Hull yielded a goal, with the Scotsman scoring twice against Wednesday night's opposition in the reverse fixture.
Patrick Bamford: Joining the club in November, the 32-year-old has gotten up to speed quickly with six goals in 12 games.
Boasting plenty of pedigree for this level having twice been promoted out of the Championship with Leeds, Bamford sharpens the Blades' attacking prowess for their trip to the south coast.
TOP SCORERS
Saints
Goals:
Armstrong 11
Azaz 7
Manning, Harwood-Bellis, Archer 4
Assists:
Armstrong, Azaz, Scienza, Fellows 4
Manning 3
Harwood-Bellis, Fraser 2
Sheffield United
Goals:
Bamford, O'Hare 6
Campbell 5
Cannon, Hamer 4
Assists:
O'Hare 6
Seriki, Brooks 4
Hamer 3
FORM GUIDE
Saints
Hull (h) SBC: L 1-2 (Stewart)
Doncaster (a) FAC3: W 3-2 (Bragg, Archer, Matsuki)
Middlesbrough (a) SBC: L 0-4
Millwall (h) SBC: D 0-0
Birmingham (a) SBC: D 1-1 (Archer)
Sheffield United
Charlton (h) SBC: L 0-1
Mansfield (h) FAC3: L 3-4 (Hamer, Bamford, Moriah-Welsh OG)
Leicester (h) SBC: W 3-1 (Tanganga, Cannon, O'Hare)
Stoke (a) SBC: W 2-1 (Riedewald, Cannon)
Wrexham (a) SBC: L 3-5 (Bamford 2, O'Hare)
HEAD TO HEAD
Played: 60
Saints wins: 22
Draws: 13
Sheffield United wins: 25
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
Sep 2025: Sheffield United 1-2 Saints Championship (Stewart 2)
Sep 2021: Sheffield United 2-2 Saints (2-4 on pens) League Cup (Diallo, Salisu)
Mar 2021: Sheffield United 0-2 Saints Premier League (Ward-Prowse, Adams)
Dec 2020: Saints 3-0 Sheffield United Premier League (Adams, S Armstrong, Redmond)
Jul 2020: Saints 3-1 Sheffield United Premier League (Adams 2, Ings)
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