Last season the Blades and the Tykes drew 2-2 in dramatic fashion; Ian Bennett had done well to keep the scores level at half-time, but had to be replaced by on-loan shot stopper Mark Bunn at the break.
United had sent a patched up side to face the Reds in their back yard following a long list of injuries but fell behind in the second half to a Anderson Silva (53 minutes) volley - but following a foul on Ched Evans the visitors were handed a penalty were Darius Henderson (61) duly finished.
Daniel Bogdanovic (74), now with United retained the lead for the Tykes but after a handball from Robert Kozluk another penalty was waved the Blades way - Henderson (83) again slotted home.
United have gone a fortnight without playing professional football with last week's fixture at home to Reading postponed due to the freak heavy snow showers which virtually grinded the whole of South Yorkshire to a halt.
Blades boss Gary Speed is without a number of key players; Captain Chris Morgan (knee) has been sidelined for the remainder of the season through injury, whilst; Ryan France (back), Darius Henderson (hamstring) and Lee Williamson (back) are also unavailable.
They also face a striker crisis with both Daniel Bogdanovic and Richard Cresswell serving suspensions; Bogdanovic will miss his second game of a three match ban and will also now sit out the home tie with Swansea City in eight days time.
Cresswell starts the first of a three game ban following his red card at Bristol City fourteen days ago; he too will miss the fixture with
Swansea City as well the Boxing Day fixture with Hull City.
Central-Defender Danny Batth will be looking to make his Blades debut since joining on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers two weeks ago; he was an unused substitute in the three-nil defeat at Ashton Gate.
The Blades have three former Colliers on their books, though none are likely to feature at Oakwell; Daniel Bogdanovic (forward), Chris Morgan (defender) and Robert Kozluk (defender).
Kozluk joined Barnsley after being released by the Blades in July 2007; making his debut in a 4-1 home defeat to Coventry City. He was also part of the team which lost to Cardiff City (0-1) in the FA Cup Semi-Final at Wembley.
He was released by the Oakwell club this summer having made a total of 82 (+4) professional appearances for the club.
Barnsley born skipper Chris Morgan came through the youth ranks at Oakwell - signing a professional contract in August 1996, though he didn't make his debut until January 1998 when the Tykes lost 6-0 at West Ham United in the Premier League. He made a total of 109 (+3) appearances for the club and scored eight goals.
Meanwhile striker Daniel Bogdanovic was released in the summer by the Reds after failing to re-negotiate a new contract and joined rivals Sheffield United on a free transfer. Having signed from Lokomotiv Sofia in January 2009 he went onto make 36 (+13) appearances for the Reds and scored 19 goals.
Expected Eleven: Simonsen, Calvé, Bartley, Nosworthy, Taylor, Ertl, Reid, Britton, Montgomery, Quinn, Evans.