The Blades are just one point behind sixth placed Cardiff City who host Middlesbrough this weekend, points on the board at Selhurst Park in their game in hand fixture at Peterborough United on Tuesday night should see United stake a top six spot. They go into the fixture on back of a dramatic 4-3 victory over Plymouth Argyle at the Lane; United stormed into a three-nil lead when Henri Camara (7 minutes) finished his one-on-one with keeper David Stockdale before Jamie Ward's double (35 & 47) stretched their lead.
But the Green Army staged a comeback with two goals of their own, substitutes Yannick Bolasie (48) and Joe Mason (56) capitalised from keeping errors by Mark Bunn before a 'comical' goal from Richard Cresswell (80) virtually made the game safe. Argyle keeper Stockdale had collected the ball following a Blades attack, and after two (out of three) United players ran past him he rolled the ball out; unaware of a pouncing Cresswell who surprised the keeper and ran round to score. The visitors had the last say in this game when Jamie Mackie (85) fired home from the edge of the area, beating Bunn at his far post.
Blades boss Kevin Blackwell will be without defenders Marcel Seip (hamstring) and Derek Geary (ankle) are both injured. However Dutchman Seip is close to a return and is in first team training whilst Geary has been ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Also unavailable is club top scorer Darius Henderson (12 goals) who will sit out the second of his three match suspension; he will also be unavailable for the visit to London Road on Tuesday night following his red card in the 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest. Shot stopper Paddy Kenny is also still currently suspended.
Blades Last Line-Up (27/02/2010 vs. Plymouth Argyle): Mark
Bunn, Nyron Nosworthy, Kyle Bartley, Chris Morgan, Toni Kallio, Mark Yeates, Lee Williamson, Nick Montgomery, Jamie Ward, Richard Cresswell, Henri Camara. Substitutes: Ched Evans, Ian Bennett, James Harper, Andy Taylor, Jordan Stewart, Stephen Quinn, Jonathan Fortune.
New Palace manager Paul Hart (taking over from Neil Warnock) will see his Eagles rein begin against Sheffield United at Selhurst Park, it isn't the first time the former Barnsley boss has faced the Blades this season having had a spell with Queens Park Rangers which lasted just five games.
He kick started his Loftus Road career against United and during those five fixture met the S2 side on three occasions, drawing two (both 1-1) and a 3-2 defeat in the FA Cup replay; whilst former Preston North End and Sheffield Wednesday striker Richard Cresswell netted in each of those games.
They will look to avenge the 2-0 reverse inflicted on them at Bramall Lane in mid-December where Lee Williamson (21) and Stephen Quinn (90) found the net. The Croydon club are currently in administration and has received a ten point deduction which currently see them just one place above the drop zone.
Last week the Eagles drew 1-1 at Doncaster Rovers; a Kieran Djilali (67) goal cancelled out James Coppinger's (37) effort. However they have yet to win a fixture since 6 February when they recorded a 2-1 win over fellow relegation strugglers Scunthorpe United - six games ago. The Eagles will be without Paddy McCarthy who is considered a long term injury; he is however back in training but short of match fitness.
Eagles Last Line-Up (27/02/2010 at Doncaster Rovers):
Julian Speroni, Nathaniel Clyne, Clint Hill, Matt Lawrence, Danny Butterfield, Claude Davis, Shaun Derry, Darren Ambrose, Nick Carle, Kieran Djilali, Alan Lee. Substitutes: Sean Scannell, Lee Hills, Calvin Andrew, Johannes Ertl, James Comley, Alassane N'Diaye, Charlie Mann.
Blades-Mad Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-2 Sheffield United
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