GolVolt — Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough: preview, line-ups, chances

What to watch for

Facts from our data worth knowing before kick-off. After the match we check them ✓ / ✗.

Player in form

Will Lankshear: 7 goals in 5 league matches

Goals7 xG3.46

Scoring more than his chances suggest (xG 3.5).

Last time

Last meeting, 9 February 2026: Sheffield United – Middlesbrough 1:2

WLWW

Streak

Sheffield United have scored in 7 matches in a row

LWLWDWW

All competitions, friendlies excluded: 12 goals in those matches.

Streak

Sheffield United unbeaten in 4 matches

WDWW

All competitions, friendlies excluded: 3 wins and 1 draw. Last defeat: 14 October, 2:3 against Portsmouth.

Attack

Middlesbrough score 2.6 goals per match

Sheffield United1.6 Middlesbrough2.6

Last 5 matches in all competitions. Sheffield United score 1.6.

Players to watch

Championship, this season.

Sydie frederick Peck

Sheffield United · midfielder

4goals 2assists 7.16avg rating

Last match, Preston North End: 3 goals, rating 9.6.

Will Lankshear

Middlesbrough · forward

13goals 0assists 7.39avg rating

Last match, Charlton Athletic: 2 goals, rating 8.4.

Who is out

Injuries and suspensions

The list usually arrives about 48 hours before kick-off. There is none for this match yet.

Recent matches

Bar height is the goal difference. Hover or tap a bar for the details.

“This set-up” is Sheffield United at home and Middlesbrough away, as in this match.

Sheffield United

at home · 10

4W2D4L1.4scored per match1.4conceded per match

Middlesbrough

away · 10

4W2D4L1.6scored per match1.5conceded per match

Head to head

4 meetings since 2024.

Last time · 9 Feb 2026 · Championship Sheffield United 1:2 Middlesbrough Bamford 73' · Conway 19' · McGree 45'. Middlesbrough: 2 wins in a row in this fixture.

1wins

0 draws2.2 goals per match · both scored in 2 of 4

3wins

Expected lineups

For now, the last starting XI: Sheffield United (4-4-2, last: Preston North End) · Middlesbrough (3-4-2-1, last: Wrexham).

Official around 12:30, Sat 26 Dec

MCCooper HBBurrows MMMcGuinness JTTanganga HCChoudhury RDDonovan JRRiedewald SPPeck TCChong BDDíaz TCCannon RVVitek AMMalanda APPhillips LAAyling NBBorges SBBerhalter AMMorris CBBrittain TCConway ADCozier-Duberry KJJoseph

Sheffield UnitedMiddlesbrough

When the provider publishes the expected XI (usually a day before the match), it replaces the last one. A player on the absence list stays on the pitch as a pale, dashed “ghost”.

Who wins?

The provider's forecast usually arrives a few days before kick-off.

Pro analysisGolVolt ProPro extends the free match profile with its own goals model, lineup stability and results from similar fixtures. Coverage depends on the available data.

Pro analysis

GolVolt Pro

Pro extends the free match profile with its own goals model, lineup stability and results from similar fixtures. Coverage depends on the available data.

Volt matchup

52.2 61.0