As mentioned in the introduction our last game was that against Leeds United, it was the FA Cup Quarter-Finals with the winners playing a semi-final at a neutral ground in the worlds greatest ever cup competition. It was the Blades who went through when Steve Kabba fired home a volley with twelve minutes to go.
Neil Warnock will be pleased as for once he will have a huge selection crisis, but for the right reason as United can welcome back Peter Ndlovu and Wayne Quinn, who missed the Yorkshire Derby through suspension. Also John Curtis could make his home debut against the Clarets, but could not play on Sunday as he missed the transfer deadline to play.
Dean Windass, Owen Morrison and Marcel Cas all also missed the game but this was because they were cup-tied and United can thankfully welcome back midfield dynamo Michael Tonge who should go straight back into the squad.
Possible Starting Line-Up (4-4-2): Paddy Kenny, Phil Jagielka, Shaun Murphy, Robert Page, Robert Kozluk, Peter Ndlovu, Stuart McCall, Michael Brown, Michael Tonge, Dean Windass, Steve Kabba.
The all Nationwide League Division One clash between Watford and Burnley went in the way of the home side as the Hornets beat Burnley 2-0 within the last five minutes of the game. Tommy Smith
bundled home a scrambled corner while Stephan Glass hammered home a stunning free-kick with only a few minutes to go.
The season has been blighted with injuries and suspensions but just now Stand Ternent has a full squad to select from and that is probably for the first time this season.
Captain Steve Davis returned to the bench on Sunday having been out for over three months and played for just over 20 minutes. He could well come into contention for a starting place at Bramall Lane.
There is no doubt at all that the star player of the moment is there latest signing Driss Diallo, picked up from Belgian club KV Mechelen on a free transfer, and again on Sunday he turned in a superb performance at the centre of the defence. He along with former Blade Gareth Taylor were our best two players in the cup defeat.
Much will depend on whether Stan Ternent chooses a different option or in fact decides to rest any players after a hectic run of games and if so it could signal returns to the starting line up for Robbie Blake, Glen Little and Paul Weller besides Davis.
Possible Starting Line-Up (4-1-4-1): Marlon Beresford, Dean West, Ian Cox, Driss Diallo, Graham Branch, Paul Cook, Ian Moore, Tony Grant, Lee Briscoe, Alan Moore, Gareth Taylor.
The team will be selected from these players plus Davis, Blake, Little, Weller with those left out fighting for places on the bench with keeper Nik Michopoulos, Mark McGregor and Dimitri Papadopoulos.
Blades-Mad would like to thank Tony Scholes of Clarets-Mad (www.claretsmad.co.uk ).
Last seasons fixture ended up with a hammering. The Clarets came to Bramall Lane with there former England International Paul Gascoigne and expected to beat the Blades. However it went the wrong way, Phil Jagielka put the Blades ahead on 19th minute before Laurent D'Jaffo headed home to make it 2-0 just after half-time and Jagielka added a third with two minutes remaining.