One of Sheffield United or Blackburn Rovers will be playing at Wembley later this year in an FA Cup semi-final.
The two Championship sides are enjoying strong domestic seasons and they can top that off with a trip to the capital.
The Blades head into this one sitting second in England’s second tier and have seen off Millwall, Wrexham and Tottenham to get to this stage.
Paul Heckingbottom‘s side have been in the FA Cup quarter-finals twice over the past four seasons but haven’t been to the semi-finals since 2014.
Meanwhile, Rovers are fifth, nine points behind the Blades.
They have made it to this stage after beating Norwich, Birmingham and Leicester, while they secured a 1-0 victory over Heckingbottom’s men earlier this month.
Sheffield United vs Blackburn Rovers: talkSPORT coverage
This FA Cup quarter-final clash will take place on Sunday, March 19.
Kick-off at Bramall Lane is scheduled for 12pm.
talkSPORT 2 will have live coverage from Sheffield, with Ian Danter and former West Ham striker Dean Ashton providing commentary.
talkSPORT.com will also have all the best reaction from the tie.
To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.
You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
Sheffield United vs Blackburn Rovers: Team news
The hosts are without Jack O’Connell and George Baldock is a doubt.
But apart from that, they have a fully fit squad, meaning Oli McBurnie, Oliver Norwood and Chris Basham might all come into the starting XI.
Unlike the hosts, the visitors are without several important players, including Daniel Ayala, Bradley Dack and Jack Vale.
Sorba Thomas is cup-tied and regular goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski is ruled out, meaning Aynsley Pears is likely to start in goal.
Sheffield United vs Blackburn Rovers: What has been said?
Blades boss Heckingbottom: “This week is a big week in the season, it could be a huge week in the season. It could be a huge week in the careers of the players as well and a huge week in the history of the club, who knows?
“That’s the position we have gotten ourselves in and that’s what we are playing for. That’s why we have to enjoy it. We can’t be fearful of what’s in front of us.
“We are in a fantastic position in the league and in the quarter-final of the FA Cup. We have done the first part this week and now we have got a big job on Sunday.”
Sheffield United vs Blackburn Rovers: Match facts
- This is the first FA Cup meeting between Sheffield United and Blackburn Rovers since the 1992-93 quarter-final, with the Blades going through on penalties in a replay.
- Blackburn last progressed past Sheffield United in the FA Cup back in January 1897 – should they eliminate the Blades, it would be the biggest gap between a team eliminating another in FA Cup history (126 years), beating the record of Derby against Barnsley (125 years & 343 days, 1897-2023), whose first win was on the same day as Blackburn’s last eliminated Sheffield United (January 30th, 1897).
- This is Sheffield United’s third FA Cup quarter-final in the last four seasons – they lost their previous two, against Arsenal in 2019-20 and Chelsea in 2020-21, last progressing in 2013-14 against Charlton Athletic.
- Blackburn have been eliminated in their last two FA Cup quarter-finals, going out in 2012-13 vs Millwall and 2014-15 vs Liverpool, last reaching the semi-final in 2006-07. They haven’t reached an FA Cup semi-final while playing outside the top-flight since 1957-58.
- This will be Sheffield United’s 11th FA Cup quarter-final while playing outside the top-flight, with only Southampton reaching more (13). They have progressed from three of their last four quarter-finals while playing outside of the Premier League, doing so in 1997-98, 2002-03 and 2013-14.
- Sheffield United have won 13 of their last 16 home FA Cup matches (L3), winning each of their last four in a row. The Blades last had a longer home winning run in the FA Cup between January 2002 and January 2005 (seven in a row).
- Blackburn Rovers have won all three of their away games in the FA Cup this season, in the third round against Norwich, fourth round replay against Birmingham and fifth round against Leicester. The last team to win four away games in the FA Cup in a season was Liverpool in 2014-15.
- This is only the fifth FA Cup quarter-final since the turn of the millennium between two sides from the second tier and first since 2012-13, when Millwall knocked out Blackburn after a replay. Sheffield United also featured in one of those, losing 1-0 to Sunderland in 2003-04.
- Six of Blackburn’s last seven FA Cup quarter-finals in which they’ve been drawn away from home have ended as draws, losing the other 3-0 against Arsenal in the 2000-01 campaign.
- All nine of Sheffield United’s FA Cup goals this season have been scored by different players (Jebbison, Bogle, McBurnie, Norwood, Egan, Ahmedhodzic, Sharp, Berge & Ndiaye), with only Grimsby Town having more different scorers (10).
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News Summary:
- Sheffield United vs Blackburn Rovers LIVE commentary: Championship giants clash in FA Cup with Wembley trip up for grabs
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