Get predictions, team news, and betting tips for the Championship play-off semi-final first leg between Bristol City and Sheffield United on Thursday, 8th May 2025 (8pm BST).
Tip 1
The EFL play-offs are often about the difference makers shining through for a certain team and Gustavo Hamer has proven himself as a player cut from that cloth for Sheffield United.
United’s No.8 has been at the forefront of their promotion push, providing his team with the most assists (7), has registered the most shots (91), most shots on target (29) and even has picked up the most yellow cards (13) to boot.
On current form of a goal or assist in three of his last four, he is an individual who stands out in this particular player prop market.
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Tip 2
Play-off first legs are notoriously tight, and that’s reflected in recent Championship matches of this sort which are averaging just 1.44 goals per game.
11 games from this sample were level at half-time and this is also the way that both regular season meetings went, with March’s 1-1 draw seeing two second half goals and last November’s contest being won in the eighth-minute of added time.
The Robins’ fixtures against top six sides at Ashton Gate have also proven to be light on the goals front, which is the same for Sheffield United on the road, meaning that this double-edged play appeals over the more straightforward route of a draw or under a certain goals line.
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The Robins ended the regular campaign with a 2-2 draw against Preston North End, with that ensuing draw pairing them up against Sheffield United instead of a two-legged face off with Sunderland had they won that match to leapfrog Coventry City into 5th.
City remain without defender Luke McNally, who is sidelined until October with a knee injury. He is joined by Cameron Pring, Ayman Benarous and Mark Sykes as absentees for the hosts.
Bristol City Predicted XI: O’Leary; Tanner, Dickie, Vyner; Hirakawa, Williams, Knight, McCrorie; Mehmeti, Twine, Wells.
Meanwhile, the Blades dominated the stats against Blackburn Rovers but could only muster a 1-1 draw having missed out on one of the two automatic places back into the Premier League by Leeds United and Burnley.
Ollie Arblaster’s knee injury in November means that the youngster will play no part in their play-off journey. Rhys Norrington-Davies’ groin problem also keeps him out of the running to feature.
Sheffield United Predicted XI: Davies; Gilchrist, Ahmedhodzic, Holding, McCallum; De Souza Costa, Peck; Brooks, O’Hare, Hamer; Cannon.
Last Five Meetings:
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