Sheffield United

Blackburn Rovers have taken only one point from their past three Championship outings as they prepare to host Sheffield United on Tuesday (19:45 BST).

The Blades head to Ewood Park unbeaten on the road so far with two draws from their away games.

• After their 3-1 win in April, Blackburn Rovers are hoping to record back-to-back league victories over Sheffield United for the first time since April 1993 in the Premier League.

• Sheffield United have won each of their past three away games at Blackburn Rovers in all competitions, including a 2-1 victory in this season's EFL Cup in August. Only from 1949 to 1953 have the Blades ever won four in a row away to Rovers.

• After their 2-1 home defeat by QPR, Blackburn Rovers could suffer back-to-back home league defeats for the first time since November 2025.

• Sheffield United have drawn both of their away games in the Championship this season. Only in 1898-99, 1984-85, and 2012-13 have they started a league campaign with three successive away draws.

• Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray has lost five of his past seven league games against Sheffield United (W2), including four of his past five.

Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield reporter

Image source, Getty Images

"Steve, we've known each other a long time."

And there begins the first long-form interview by anyone involved in Sheffield United's current ownership.

Nathan Zegura, a summariser known as 'the voice' of the Cleveland Browns, is the man sat across from Steve Rosen, the co-chairman at Bramall Lane. They appear to be friends.

It's the kind of conversation that would have been really welcome at the start of Rosen's tenure at United. A warm 'get to know you' piece.

It's not appropriate now though, 18 months into what has been a chaotic period of ownership.

They gave manager Chris Wilder a new contract in January 2025, only to part ways months later.

They then had to go cap in hand back to Wilder after his replacement Ruben Selles lost every game in a disastrous short spell in charge.

This all came after working with pro-gambler James Bord as an advisor, who months later would fail in a bid to buy city rivals Sheffield Wednesday, after squandering money on a list of bad signings.

Maybe things would settle down after that? Nope.

This summer we've had the former owners, United World, claiming they're owed £35m as part of the sale.

This has never been disputed. The holding company that originally controlled United has been liquidated.

Questions remain how the current owners intend to handle the situation, and what actions the English Football League (EFL) and Independent Football Regulator (IFR) will take, if any, following a truly bizarre set of circumstances.

None of these matters are properly addressed in this long-awaited interview. They are airily discussed as if it's merely part of the rough and tumble of running a club.

Every statement on the United World situation and the threat of a possible points deduction has been dismissive, more or less saying it's a storm in a tea cup. There was more of that here.

This is the exchange between Rosen and Negura on the matter:

Rosen: "I can't see in any scenario where the club gets a points deduction because of the (EFL's) insolvency rule. It wasn't like Sheffield Wednesday where they had an administrator and it went into insolvency, couldn't pay their bills and all that. That's not our situation."

Negura: "Well, good."

Rosen: "Yeah, really good, right?"

Negura: "Because all this is all about winning. Yeah?"

Rosen: "(It's) all about winning."

This isn't an adequate addressing of a significant worry for many fans. We simply don't know yet what the EFL or IFR will do, either, irrespective of what's said here.

To be fair, others have welcomed the opportunity to hear from Rosen. They've even suggested he comes across well. I don't disagree. He's a good talker. He's definitely not an uninteresting person.

But now is not the time to gloss over the big issues off the pitch. It isn't the time to speak about a desire to create United's version of the 'Dawg Pound' - a section of the Cleveland Browns' stadium where fans dress up in costumes and paint their faces.

The last thing we need at Bramall Lane is the Kop turning into a Jack Sparrow convention in honour of Captain Blade.

Neither did it feel appropriate to ask for an explanation on what relegation is. Die-hard Blades have waited ages to hear from the men at the top of their club and when they finally get something, this is what they're subjected to?

The whole thing felt like a safe means to end accusations that the owners never speak - but does this really count? A podcast chat with a mate, skirting around the big issues with a smile?

There are still serious questions to be asked and clarity to be delivered. Neither Rosen nor his co-chairman Helmy Eltoukhy have spoken to the Sheffield media since buying the club.

The invitation is still very much open. The fans deserve it, because we'll be willing to ask the questions that need to be asked. The owners should also be expected to come up with convincing answers under pressure.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder spoke to BBC Radio Sheffield after the Blades' unbeaten start was ended by Norwich City.

For a written selection of his quotes, click here.

Sheffield United have yet to lose in the Championship this season and will be hoping to keep up their momentum as they welcome a faltering Norwich City on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The Blades registered the first win of their campaign after beating Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday following a trio of draws.

Norwich though lost a third league match of the season against Stoke City, with just one win to their name so far.

• Sheffield United are unbeaten in five home league games against Norwich (W3 D2) since a 0-1 defeat in September 2017.

• Norwich's 2-1 win over Sheffield United in March ended a 10-game winless run against the Blades in league competition (D4 L6).

• Sheffield United remain unbeaten across their opening four league games of a campaign (W1 D3) for the second time in three seasons. Before then, the Blades hadn't completed that feat since 2012-13 in the third tier.

• Norwich have lost as many as three of their first four games of a league season outside of the Premier League for the first time since 2000-01 in the second tier (also 3).

• Norwich's Championship games this season have produced an xG of 13.9 (7.7 for, 6.2 against), the highest of any side.

We asked for your thoughts after Tuesday's Championship match between Sheffield United and Bolton Wanderers.

Here are some of your comments:

Sheffield United fans

Stevie: Exciting in a weird way. Emotional, courageous, poor at times but football has come home again. Thanks Bolton fans and players for making it a spectacle - we had fun tonight.

Wottsamaddahu: Great result and attitude after injuries and losing a third star player to Moneybags Wrexham!

Bolton are a good side who've spent and signed some good players who'll bed in and trouble a lot of teams.

We've got no money but as long as Blades players are giving 100%, grit, determination and steel, naturally us Blades will be happy. That's four unbeaten! Last season lost first six under Selles.

Michael: Michael Cooper our player of the season to date. He has been absolutely top drawer in every match thus far.

Commiserations to Bolton fans on their way home, you fully deserved to win that match. Best of luck for the rest of the season.

Blades we needed that. Still work to do ignore the "noise" around us. UTB!

Image source, Shutterstock

Bolton Wanderers fans

Bolton Baz: Great away performance except for giving two easy goals away straight after taking the lead!

Second-half showing will worry a lot of teams in this division. Didn't deserve to lose after playing Sheffield Utd off the park second half. Gale, Sheehan and McAtee best three on the pitch. We'll play a lot worse and win games this season.

Martin: Overall, fairly happy with Bolton's performance, but they were ultimately punished for switching off at vital moments. Had some good chances in the second half, which bodes well for the season ahead.

David: Bolton were way the better side and looked the more established team in the Championship.

It's tough to take but Sheffield basically did a smash-and-grab even though they were playing at home. But we have to take the positives out of this. If we play like this for the rest of the season we will do well.

We have a group of players who are playing well together as a team and we will surprise a few teams this season.

Sheffield United manager did not lament the loss of playmaker Callum O'Hare to Wrexham on deadline day, instead praising his team which twice came from behind to beat Bolton.

"I've got a proper committed group of players, as you've seen tonight," the Blades boss told BBC Radio Sheffield. "You saw the reaction after the first goal, in the first minute - it couldn't have gone any worse for us, and we got straight back on it and equalised straight away.

"The reaction to the second goal, straight back on it, and then the desire to try to find the winner when it was a game of basketball and we were under the cosh.

"The reason [Michael Cooper] was the best goalkeeper in the division two years ago is because of what he has done today.

"I'm working with the players I've got, and we have some injuries at the top end of the pitch with Ryan [One] and [Tahith] Chong."

BBC Radio Sheffield discuss the transfer business done by Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley, Doncaster Rovers, Rotherham United and Chesterfield.

The show, which runs from 22:00-00:00 BST, will offer the latest updates and analysis.

Listen to it here

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Image source, Getty Images

Transfer deadline day is upon us and today is the final chance for your EFL club to finalise any business until January.

The transfer window closes at 23:00 BST, so we might have some late night scrambles to get deals over the line.

There has already been plenty of movement this summer and whether it's a busy or quiet day for your club, you will be able to keep across it all on BBC Sport.

Follow our EFL deadline day live text coverage throughout the day here

Get alerts and keep up to date with all the latest news, insight and fan views for your club

Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Chris Wilder made it clear before the summer even began that there was a possibility players would leave Sheffield United in the transfer window.

The loss of parachute payments made it inevitable. Plus, an argument could be made that a little bit of a refresh wouldn't be a bad thing, to give a shot in the arm to United's hopes of once again competing for promotion.

However, if Callum O'Hare departs, it'll be too much.

There's a bid in from Wrexham. It sounds like a decent offer. Given the widely known off-the-pitch issues at Bramall Lane, it won't be a shock if it's accepted.

Losing O'Hare, Gus Hamer and last season's players' player of the year Andre Brooks would feel like a step too far. It would undermine a good couple of bits of business — seeing Hamza Choudhury and Ben Brereton Diaz return to the club. Any momentum they brought would be lost.

Three key creators would be gone. Who would be producing the opportunities for the forwards? It would place a ton of responsibility on Tahith Chong, currently nursing an injury, and young loanee Romelle Donovan.

We've still had nothing from the club's owners to explain the situation regarding the money allegedly owed to Prince Abdullah's United World.

Selling another player at the end of the window typically would warrant a comment, let alone the gaping void of communication relating to what feels like a fairly serious matter.

United would be left scrambling to find a replacement, probably on a loan or a free. That's the market they're in.

These aren't the actions of a club fully focused on a central goal of promotion. They're the actions of an ownership group struggling to provide a vision for what they actually want to achieve. So much so, you begin to wonder how much longer they even want to be here.

We've tried contacting the owners and had silence in return.

It's about time they explained what's going on.

Laura Kenyon
BBC Final Score

Image source, Getty Images

The Cardiff game probably left Sheffield United fans slightly puzzled about what to expect in the coming weeks. Boss Chris Wilder himself admitted he was left scratching his head at such an open and breathless game.

However, some encouragement emerged in the form of a first Championship goal of the new season.

It comes after a measly combined total of just four shots on target from the opening two league games. Questions loomed about where the goals would come from this season.

Some answers were found at Cardiff City Stadium.

Tom Cannon's successful penalty was his second goal in two games, having netted in the EFL Cup in midweek. A goal from open play was even more encouraging, with Callum O'Hare looking like one of Sheffield United's bigger attacking threats.

Other answers remain elusive, though.

There was a cameo from Ben Brererton Diaz. The striker returned on loan for his third spell at the club in midweek, but will he be the prolific goalscorer of past Championship seasons?

Will Patrick Bamford step up to Wilder's call for more? He produced another quiet performance in Cardiff.

Blades fans will hope it does not take a third trip to south Wales to conjure up resolutions.