Sheffield Utd vs Derby prediction, team news and preview

Sheffield Utd vs Derby: what the match decides

Sheffield Utd welcome Derby to Bramall Lane on Saturday 24 October 2026 in Round 12 of the Championship. The hosts sit 11th with 15 points from 11 games (four wins, three draws, four defeats) and a goal difference of +1. Leaders Swansea have 23 points, so a win would keep the hosts within reach of the upper table.

Derby are 23rd with 6 points from 11, one win, three draws and seven defeats, and a goal difference of -11. They are in the relegation zone, nine points behind the hosts. For them, the match decides whether a poor start turns into a deeper problem.

Sheffield Utd and Derby recent form

Sheffield Utd's last five games in all competitions read LLWLW: two wins and three defeats, with 7 goals scored (1.4 per game) and 6 conceded (1.2). They kept two clean sheets and failed to score once. The run includes a League Cup exit at Fleetwood Town and a 3-2 defeat at Portsmouth, but they have won their last two league games, 3-0 against Lincoln at Bramall Lane and 1-0 at Bristol City.

Derby's last five are LDDLL: no wins, two draws and three defeats. They scored 4 (0.8 per game) and conceded 9 (1.8), with no clean sheets. They lost 4-1 at QPR and then 1-0 at home to Stoke City last time out.

Away from home Derby have played two of those five games: one draw at Burnley (1-1) and the QPR defeat. That is 2 goals scored and 5 conceded, or 2.5 conceded per game. Sheffield Utd's only home game in the sample was the 3-0 win over Lincoln.

Sheffield Utd vs Derby team news

Sheffield Utd have two players out: F. Seriki with a knee injury and J. Shackleton with health problems. No doubtful players are listed for the hosts in our data.

Derby's list is much longer. Eight players are out: P. Agyemang (Achilles tendon), M. Clarke (calf), C. Forsyth (knee), D. Murkin (hamstring), J. Widell Zetterstrom (knee), S. Langas and C. Taylor (both listed as injury) and E. Cashin (listed as inactive). M. Johnston, also listed as inactive, is doubtful.

Missing that many players leaves Derby short of options for a side already conceding 1.8 goals per game. No line-ups are published yet; they are confirmed about an hour before kick-off.

Storylines for Sheffield Utd and Derby

For Sheffield Utd, the story is consistency. Their league form string of WLWLL shows an uneven start, yet the last two league results, over Lincoln and Bristol City, produced four goals and no goals against. Winning here would lift them to 18 points.

Derby are in a hole. They have one win in 11, the league's second-lowest points total in this table extract, and a goal difference of -11. They have not won in their last five and have scored in only four of those games. A first win in a while would ease the pressure, while another defeat would cut them further adrift.

Where Sheffield Utd vs Derby will be decided

The main contrast is Derby's defence against the hosts' recent attacking return. Derby concede 1.8 goals per game over their last five, and four of those five games saw both sides score. Sheffield Utd average 1.4 per game and scored three at Bramall Lane last time.

At the other end, Derby's attack is the weaker unit, at 0.8 goals per game and one failed-to-score in five. Sheffield Utd have kept two clean sheets in five, so a quiet afternoon for the visitors is plausible, particularly with so many absentees.

Derby's best route is probably to stay compact and compete for second balls. Sheffield Utd's recent form suggests they are more likely to find the first goal.

Sheffield Utd vs Derby head-to-head

Our data lists six meetings since January 2022. Sheffield Utd won four and Derby two, with no draws. The meetings produced 15 goals, or 2.5 per game; three games saw both teams score and three had over 2.5 goals.

The most recent meeting was Derby 1-2 Sheffield Utd on 2 May 2026. Before that, Derby won 3-1 at Bramall Lane on 1 November 2025. Sheffield Utd also won 1-0 at Derby in February 2025 and 1-0 at home in September 2024. One of the six was a friendly (a 3-1 Sheffield Utd win in July 2023).

Sheffield Utd vs Derby prediction

Our lean is a Sheffield Utd win. Three facts drive it: the nine-point gap in the table, Derby's 1.8 goals conceded per game across their last five, and a squad with eight players out and one doubtful. A home win by one or two goals looks the most likely shape.

On goals, we lean towards a game of two to three goals. Sheffield Utd should create chances, but Derby's low scoring rate (0.8 per game) argues against a high-scoring game.

What could change this: Derby are not far removed from taking points at Burnley and Wrexham, and Sheffield Utd have lost three of their last five in all competitions. An early home goal would point towards the expected script, while a Derby opener would make it a tighter match. MATCH PULSE's three AI engines (GPT, Claude and Gemini) publish their independent analysis of the match before kick-off.

How to watch Sheffield Utd vs Derby

No official broadcasters are listed for this match in our data. Check the Championship's official broadcast partner in your country and its official app for live coverage.

Broadcast arrangements differ by territory, so confirm the details with your local rights holder before the match on Saturday 24 October 2026.

We have not listed this competition's broadcasters yet. Check the competition's official broadcast partner in your country and its official app.

Only official rights holders are listed; availability can change. Watching through unofficial streams is unsafe and unfair to the clubs.

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