SHEFFIELD UNITED VS. PETERBOROUGH UNITED
TUESDAY, 4 MARCH 2014 - KICK-OFF: 7.30PM
The Blades home fixture with the Posh was rained off hours before kick-off on Wednesday, 29 January - leaving United to play catch up with Bramall Lane now hosting three competitive matches consecutively. As well as Peterborough the S2 club host Charlton Athletic (FAC6) and Carlisle United. However the postponement came at a time where despite pulling out all the stops in the FA Cup results in the league were not so bright.
But United's form in the last seven matches as been astonishing, maintaining a 100% record with wins over Fulham (FAC, 1-0), Shrewsbury Town (2-0), Nottingham Forest (FAC, 3-1), Gillingham (1-0), Bristol City (3-0), Colchester United (1-0) and Stefan Scougall latched onto Con Coady's mazy run to charge through the MK Dons defence to score the game’s only goal.
Sheffield United now lay twelfth in the table and a victory over tonight's opponents Peterborough United will take them to tenth and eight points behind the last play-off place which the Posh holds.
Blades boss Nigel Clough may have a selection headache against the Posh. Centre-half Harry Maguire (knee) missed the victory at Stadium:MK whilst during the exchanges were forced to make changes with injuries to key players John Brayford (calf) and Jamie Murphy (groin) and will be assessed prior to the match. Midfielder Florent Cuvelier (ligaments) is sidelined for the season after being injured whilst on loan at Port Vale. He was also on Posh's books on a month’s loan in March 2013 and featured only once as a substitute in a 3-2 home wins over Watford.
The London Road club were expected to see Jack Payne return to the Posh line-up after the 22 year old suffered a groin strain in a previous match at Stevenage which they won by a single goal. However despite limping off at the Lamex Stadium defender Nathaniel Knight-Percival is expected to start against the Blades. Striker Kyle Vassell (broken toe) is the Johnstone's Paint Trophy Finalists only injury casualty - they face Chesterfield in the showpiece final at Wembley on 30 March.
Posh boss Darren Ferguson is likely to field former Blade Nathaniel Mendez-Laing to face his former club. He was signed on loan by Danny Wilson in August 2011 from Wolverhampton Wanderers, making his debut in a 1-1 draw at Hartlepool United in the league cup (United winning 4-3 on penalties) and scored his only goal in a 4-0 win over Bury. Injury put paid to his time at Bramall Lane and he returned to Molineux having made 6 (+5) appearances and scored one goal.
Blades-Mad Prediction: Sheffield United 1 Peterborough United 0