Blackburn Rovers vs Sheffield United: EFL Cup Clash Preview
Blackburn and Sheffield United put unbeaten records on the line on Tuesday night, with a place in the EFL Cup third round up for grabs and two very different early-season stories colliding at Ewood Park.
Mowbray’s second act gathers pace
Blackburn Rovers come into their fourth game of the 2026-27 campaign with momentum and a familiar figure back in the dugout. Tony Mowbray returned in the summer after Michael O'Neill had dragged them to safety last season, and the response so far has been sharp.
The season started with late drama at Burton Albion in the first round of the EFL Cup. Trailing 1-0 heading into the final 10 minutes, Blackburn refused to fold. Andri Gudjohnsen struck to level, Jayden Fevrier then grabbed an 88th-minute winner, and Mowbray’s second spell had its first surge of adrenaline.
That resilience has spilled into the league. Blackburn opened their Championship campaign with a 2-2 draw away at newly-promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers, only denied victory by a late penalty. On Saturday, they came from behind again to beat Middlesbrough, Gudjohnsen scoring for the third straight competitive game and Todd Cantwell joining him on the scoresheet in another second-half turnaround.
Four points from a tough pair of league fixtures, a cup win on the road, and a side already showing a taste for late swings. Now the focus returns to the EFL Cup and the chance to turn a bright start into a genuine early run.
Sheffield United solid, but still searching
Standing in their way is a Sheffield United side that has yet to concede in 2026-27 – but has yet to score in the league either.
Chris Wilder’s team opened the season with a comfortable EFL Cup first-round win at Mansfield Town, easing through 3-0 thanks to goals from Patrick Bamford, Mark McGuinness and Callum O'Hare. It was exactly the kind of clean, controlled performance they needed after an underwhelming 13th-placed finish in last season’s Championship.
Since then, though, the goals have dried up. A goalless draw at home to Birmingham City was followed by another 0-0 away at Swansea City. Three clean sheets in three games, but in the Championship table they are the only side yet to find the net, and one of just two with back-to-back shutouts.
Off the pitch, the noise has been louder. Ownership concerns at Bramall Lane and the looming threat of a possible points deduction have dominated early-season headlines, casting a shadow over Wilder’s attempts to steady the football side of the operation.
Still, three games without conceding is a foundation. The question now is whether Sheffield United can turn that defensive discipline into a cup run by knocking out Championship opposition on their own patch.
Team news and likely changes
Blackburn remain without Moussa Baradji, Dion De Neve, Augustus Kargbo, Lewis Miller and Scott Wharton, all still sidelined through injury.
Mowbray named a strong XI for that first-round tie at Burton, but the schedule and strong start give him licence to shuffle the pack. Fevrier, the late hero at Burton, is in line for his first start of the season, as is Mathias Jorgensen in attack. Hayden Carter could be drafted into the back line, while Jake Garrett is an option to freshen up midfield.
One decision looks straightforward: Gudjohnsen has scored in all three competitive matches so far and is well placed to lead the line again.
Sheffield United are also expected to rotate. Midfielder Kalvin Phillips is still not ready to return, and Ryan One missed the trip to Swansea with an injury and remains a doubt.
Wilder switched to a 3-5-2 for that second league outing, and he has options if he wants to rest regulars. Matt Doherty, Jamal Baptiste and Rhys Norrington-Davies can all come into the defensive unit. In midfield, Jamie Shackleton and Jairo Riedewald are pushing for first starts of the season.
Up front, Tom Cannon, Romelle Donovan and Tyrese Campbell are all hoping for minutes, especially with O'Hare having supported key man Bamford at the weekend. A tweak in personnel – and perhaps shape – would not be a surprise as Wilder tries to unlock a forward line that has yet to score in the league.
Probable lineups
Blackburn Rovers possible starting XI:
Toth; Alebiosu, Atcheson, Carter, Ribeiro; Garrett, Forshaw; Fevrier, Ohashi, Jorgensen; Gudjohnsen
Sheffield United possible starting XI:
Cooper; Baptiste, McGuinness, Norrington-Davies; Doherty, Riedewald, Arblaster, Burrows; Donovan, Campbell, Cannon
Prediction
Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Sheffield United.
Mowbray’s side have already shown they can dig games out late and carry a sharper attacking edge than a Sheffield United team whose only win so far came against Mansfield. If both managers rotate, the hosts’ rhythm and Gudjohnsen’s form could tilt a tight tie their way – and push Blackburn a step deeper into a competition that might just suit them this season.
