Preview: Hull City vs. Sheffield United - prediction, team news, lineups

The Blades returned to winning ways at home to Reading on Tuesday, moving onto 14 points from seven matches thus far, while their hosts fell to a defeat at the hands of Reading in midweek.

Match preview

After a 19th-placed finish last season and an exciting summer transfer window, Hull City set out for an improved campaign under Shota Arveladze this time around, and they began on the front foot with a win over Bristol City and a goalless stalemate against Preston North End before dropping out of the EFL Cup at the hands of Bradford City.

The Tigers then moved onto seven points from a possible nine with an impressive 2-1 victory over newly-relegated Norwich City, thanks to a brace from Oscar Estupinan, and they would pick up another commendable point in the following encounter, drawing 1-1 away at Burnley as Ozan Tufan's opener was cancelled out by a goal from Jay Rodriguez.

Arveladze's side would then be on the wrong end of a 5-2 beating at the hands of West Bromwich Albion, their first league defeat of the campaign, but quickly managed to bounce back against Coventry City, eventually winning 3-2 on home turf courtesy of an Estupinan hat-trick.

Hoping to build on that return to winning ways, the Tigers most recently travelled to Loftus Road to take on Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday, but they were comfortably beaten with Ilias Chair, Ethan Laird and Chris Willock putting their hosts 3-0 up in the first half before Tyler Smith managed to net a consolation goal in the final 10 minutes.

While they are yet to establish real consistency in the Championship, Hull do appear to be heading in the right direction and should be pleased with a tally of 11 points from seven outings thus far, and they will look to take another major scalp on Sunday with a chance of breaking into the top six.

Sheffield United make the trip in impressive form, having gone unbeaten in six league outings since an opening-day defeat away Watford.

In that time, Paul Heckingbottom's side have managed to pick up 14 points to briefly put themselves at the summit of England's second tier, starting with home wins over Millwall and Sunderland either side of a 2-2 draw away at Middlesbrough.

The Blades then made it three wins from three league games at Bramall Lane with a 3-0 beating of Blackburn Rovers, as Oliver Norwood opened the scoring with a free kick and Iliman Ndiaye netted a brace off the bench, before settling for a point in a 1-1 draw away at Luton Town thanks to Oli McBurnie's second-half leveller.

McBurnie was again on the scoresheet alongside Ndiaye and an Anel Ahmedhodzic brace on Tuesday, as they extended their perfect home record with a 4-0 thrashing of Reading to leapfrog the Royals and move back to the top of the division after the seventh round of fixtures.

Although their four victories have all come at home thus far, with just two points from three away trips, the Blades will look to carry their impressive form into the weekend and strengthen their position at the summit of the table with another win.

Hull City Championship form:

Hull City form (all competitions):

Sheffield United Championship form:

Sheffield United form (all competitions):

Team News

Hull City have an unenviable injury list to deal with, as summer signings Ozan Tufan and Jean-Michael Seri are out of action alongside defenders Lewie Coyle and Brandon Fleming.

Given those absences, Ryan Woods could come into the midfield alongside former Sheffield United man Regan Slater, with the likes of Ryan Longman, Benjamin Tetteh and Andy Cannon set to provide attacking support.

Their line will be led by another recent arrival, as Oscar Estupinan has netted seven goals in seven Championship appearances since a switch from Vitoria de Guimaraes, including a hat-trick in the recent win over Coventry.

Sheffield United also have a long list of enforced absentees, particularly in defence, as Jack O'Connell, Jack Robinson, Ciaran Clark, Enda Stevens and Jayden Bogle are all sidelined alongside important midfielder John Fleck.

Without those, Rhys Norrington-Davies, John Egan and Anel Ahmedhodzic will form a back three, with the latter having netted a brace on Tuesday, while Manchester City loanee Tommy Doyle will continue to join Oliver Norwood in the midfield.

They successfully fended off interest in Sander Berge throughout the transfer window, and the Norwegian should operate as part of a front three alongside exciting prospect Iliman Ndiaye and striker Oli McBurnie, who has scored in back-to-back games after a year-long goal drought for the Blades.

Hull City possible starting lineup:

Ingram; Christie, Figueiredo, Greaves, Elder; Slater, Woods; Longman, Cannon, Tetteh; Estupinan

Sheffield United possible starting lineup:

Foderingham; Ahmedhodzic, Egan, Norrington-Davies; Baldock, Norwood, Doyle, Lowe; Ndiaye, Berge; McBurnie

We say: Hull City 1-2 Sheffield United

While Paul Heckingbottom's side are yet to win away from home this season, we still anticipate them coming away from Sunday's contest with all three points, even with the hosts expected to pose a threat, particularly with an in-form Estupinan.

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