The Blades have an outside opportunity to occupy the last play-off spot which is currently held by Peterborough United; however they must claim maximum points against Orient and next Tuesday's opponents Rotherham United to stand any opportunity of making the top six. United drew their last match 0-0 at home to Brentford last Tuesday in match which was met with some controversy from the referee.
Brentford earned a vital point in their quest for promotion after a 0-0 draw at Sheffield United where referee Eddie Ilderton controversially took centre stage. Ilderton inexplicably awarded the Bees a penalty and showed Kieron Freeman a red card in the first half, despite the Blades defender clearly winning the ball. But the referee then overturned both decisions after a discussion with his linesman. It meant Brentford were rightly denied the opportunity to take the lead from the spot, and despite both teams having numerous chances, neither could break the deadlock in an entertaining clash.
Most of the Bees' opportunities game in the first 20 minutes where they could have had a three-goal lead but Marcello Trotta had a shot blocked, Clayton Donaldson planted a header from the resulting corner wide and Toumani Diagouraga fired just off target. The Blades were only denied the lead by a superb last-ditch tackle from James Tarkowski which stopped Billy Paynter tapping into an empty net after Conor Coady broke clear. Then came the game's controversial incident 15 minutes before the break as Freeman superbly tackled Trotta, but Ilderton sent Bramall Lane into uproar by pointing to the spot and sending the on-loan defender off.
However, after consulting his linesman Mark Dwyer, the Tyne and Wear official overturned his decision, gave a drop-ball and rescinded Freeman's red. The second half offered both sides decent chances as Trotta tested Blades keeper Mark Howard's handling from the edge of the area while Ryan Flynn curled just wide for the hosts. But the match ended in stalemate meaning the Bees move five points clear of third-placed Leyton Orient, while the Blades' optimistic play-off hopes are dented.
Blades boss Nigel Clough will be without left full-back duo Matt Hill (hamstring) and Bob Harris (thigh) who are both sidelined through injury. However the former Derby County boss will be boosted by the return of Harry Maguire who is available again after serving a two match ban. Should United score a goal against the Orient it will be their 7,000th league goal.
Leyton Orient remain firmly in the Play-Off pack despite having not won a fixture in the previous last five outings. They beat Port Vale (2-0) on 11 March and have since registered 1-1 draws with Walsall and Oldham Athletic and defeats against Brentford (0-1) and in their last outing last weekend at Bradford City.
Bradford striker Aaron Mclean scored the only goal of the game to secure his side a 1-0 win in a feisty encounter at Leyton Orient. City manager Phil Parkinson and O's assistant boss Kevin Nugent were sent off at half-time following an altercation in the tunnel leading to the dressing room. The row broke out when the home side felt they were denied a penalty in the final minute of first-half added time, Dean Cox's shot struck the arm of a visiting defender, but referee David Phillips, surrounded by irate Orient players, insisted he had already blown for the interval.
The altercation continued down in the tunnel and Parkinson and Nugent saw red. The goal came against the run of play after Orient had forged three good chances. Kevin Lisbie, Moses Odubajo and Cox had all gone close before Bantams goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin pulled off the best save of the first-half when he dived to keep out a shot from Scott Cuthbert. The home side though were undone by a set-piece when Gary Jones delivered a corner from the left and former Orient youth-team player McLean, unmarked at the far post, drove the ball into the roof of the net.
After the break the home side enjoyed much of the possession, but showed little in the way of inventive flair and it was the Bantams who came closest to scoring when substitute Garry Thompson was denied by the outstretched feet of goalkeeper Jamie Jones.
O's boss Russell Slade is expected to re-call striker Roman Vincelot after the French forward served a two-match suspension after picking up ten bookings, meanwhile Jamie Jones is likely to remain in goal after Eldin Jakupovic was recalled by parent club Hull City and may face the Blades in nine days time at Wembley.
Orient have no former Blades on their books, with the exception of defender Elliot Omozusi who appeared for Sheffield United on trial (from Fulham) in September 2009 in a 2-1 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.
Blades-Mad Prediction: Sheffield United 2 Leyton Orient 0