This weekend Blues take their eight match unbeaten run to League One Sheffield United. It has been an excellent few weeks with the team moving into the top six and knocking the Dingles out of the cup in their own backyard. While being a division below us Sheffield United are doing well in the league and will provide a tough obstacle to us making it nine in a row.

With a difficult trip to Leeds coming up on Tuesday I expect a very different starting eleven to the one that beat Watford. The likes of Ibanez, Elliot, Rooney, Doyle and Gomis should feature with youngsters like Eddy Gnahore and Callum Reilly on the bench. Maybe Enric Valles may turn up as well. Those that will definitely not feature are Stephen Carr and most probably Marlon King. Reports suggest that his groin injury is not as bad as first feared but he surely won’t be risked. Guirane N’Daw still has one more game to play in the Africa Cup of Nations and won’t return until Monday at the earliest. It’s too much to hope that we might be unveiling a new signing today who will go straight in the squad.

Sheffield United are amongst a number of teams that have suffered the fall from Premier League to League One in recent seasons. This is something that was tipped for Blues and still something we need to be careful of. Norwich and now Southampton have shown that it’s possible to bounce back quickly though. Tomorrow’s opponents are currently 3rd and like us will have promotion as their priority so may rest a couple of players themselves although they do not have a midweek game.

There is an argument that a cup run will mean too many games and if we were to win this our league game against Leicester on 18th Feb would have to be postponed. However that may happen anyway as Leicester are also still in the cup and have Swindon at home in the fourth round. I don’t believe that losing at Bramall Lane and breaking the unbeaten streak will be in any way good for us. Anyone who thinks losing to us was good for Wolves clearly knows nothing about football. A replay should be avoided though. Let’s hope for a good win tomorrow and a fifth round draw away to Arsenal, Tottenham or the winner of Man Utd v Liverpool. We do still need the money after all.

My prediction Sheffield United 1 Blues 2

C’mon you Blue Boys

@Aylesbury_Blue