Stoke v Sheffield United: Prediction, tips and bet builder as Blades look to send play-off statement

Just five matchdays ago, Sheffield United were top of the Championship and seemed destined for automatic promotion.

However, a run of four defeats from their last five games not only caused the latest Chris Wilder meltdown but also denied United their place in the top two.

The Blades are now setting their sights on the upcoming play-offs, but they have the small matter of two league games to navigate before starting their post-season campaign.

One of those matches takes place on Friday night when Sheffield Untied travel to Stoke – the same team which was left battered and bruised following a 6-0 thumping away in Leeds last Monday.

Mark Robins’ men were on a five-match unbeaten run before their Elland Road trouncing – a run which has taken the Potters to the brink of Championship survival.

Stoke, who are four points above the drop zone, will be looking to give a far better account of themselves as they look to ensure their second-tier status.

Here we pick out some of our best tips for this juicy Friday night meeting, and if you put it into a Betway bet builder you’ll get odds of around 9/1.

Stoke City v Sheffield United bet builder

Sheffield United to win – 2/1

Over 2.5 goals – 21/20

Tom Cannon to have +1 shot on target – 8/13

Good luck and please gamble responsibly.

(All odds are correct at time of article publication)

Sheffield United’s recent struggles have really got the bookmarkers scratching their heads. At the time of writing, the Blades are a massive 2/1 to win this encounter despite sitting 14 places and 36 points ahead of Stoke.

United’s poor form isn’t the only reason for these odds. Stoke’s recent home results also have a lot to do with it, considering the Potters have won three of their last four at the Bet365 Stadium and are unbeaten at the ground since February.

Robins and his men have only suffered three defeats at home since October, with all three coming against top opposition in Burnley, Leeds and Middlesbrough.

United, on the other hand, are on a three-match losing run when it comes to games away from home. Oxford, Plymouth and most recently Burnley have all got the better of Wilder’s men, albeit all by a single goal margin.

Despite all that, we’re still going with the visitors to get the win in the outright market. Not only are the odds attractive, but United didn’t look all that bad against Burnley last time out.

Stoke, meanwhile, looked like a rabbit in headlights as they were unceremoniously thumped by Leeds.

Five of the goals arrived in a tragic first half for the Potters who mustered just one shot on target in the entire match.

As well as backing United on Friday night, we’re also going with over 2.5 goals. This bet has landed in two of the previous three meetings, including the last such fixture at the Bet365 Stadium which came all the way back in October 2022.

Two of Sheffield’s previous three matches in the Championship also saw over 2.5 goals, and we’re backing that trend to continue.

Lastly, we like the look of Tom Cannon to have 1+ shots on target. The player scored 11 goals for Stoke during his loan spell earlier this season. Since being recalled by United, he hasn’t quite had the same impact, but we’re backing the 22-year-old to have at least 1+ shots on target.

Stoke City v Sheffield United: How to watch and listen

Stoke City v Sheffield United will be shown live on Sky Sports UHD, Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football at 20:00 on Friday, April 25. There will be full match commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live.

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How do we create our tips?

Planet Sport has a rich history of providing quality, engaging and creative user-friendly content across a wide range of sports.

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