Competition: Championship
market: Over 1.5 goals
Odds: 4/9 @ Pribate
In what is a real showdown at the top of the Championship table, Sheffield United welcome Burnley to Bramall Lane on Boxing Day afternoon.
Starting with the hosts, Sheffield United may have lost their Premier League status last season, with the Blades looking to book an immediate top-flight return. Another dominant display as Chris Wilder’s side sit top of the Open Christmas Day Championship table as they claimed a 2-0 win in Cardiff last weekend. Having won each of their previous three straight appearances, the Blades will be looking to make a heavyweight statement here. Another 2-0 win over Plymouth in their most recent showdown at Bramall Lane, the former Middlesbrough boss has not seen his high-flying squad suffer a defeat in their last 11 consecutive Championship outings. With that purple patch all the way back to October 23rd, Wilder’s camp has also earned a formidable reputation for their success on home soil. Sheffield United have won all of their last eight battles at Bramall Lane, including a 3-0 defeat against Oxford last month.
As for the visitors, Burnley find their Boxing Day hosts in an almost identical position as they claimed a 2-1 win over Watford last weekend. Having secured another eye-popping 2-1 win at Norwich earlier in the month, Scott Parker’s men sit just one-point adrift of finding their way back into the automatic promotion places heading into Thursday’s showdown. Signing in November with a 2-0 win over Stoke, the former Fulham boss has not suffered a defeat in his previous nine Championship appearances. Having consistently impressed since returning from the November international break, the Clarets will also be buoyed by their success away from Turf Moor. Indeed, Burnley have won each of their last three showdowns away from Lancashire by an aggregate score of 5-1. It should also be noted, Parker’s side registered 10 points from their previous four championship battles on their trip.
Bet: 1.5 goals on Sheffield United v Burnley 4/9 for Thursday’s Championship showdown @ Pribate
