Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has predicted that Sheffield United will beat Aston Villa 2-1 at Villa Park on Friday night.
Chris Wilder’s side is in top form at the moment and will go top of the Championship standings if they earn all three points in the West Midlands this week.
Prutton believes that Villa are having issues at both ends of the pitch at the moment and that, coupled with Sheffield United’s last result against the Villans, could be Dean Smith’s downfall on Friday.
“It is too many draws that are hurting Aston Villa at the moment. They managed a rare clean sheet at Reading last weekend but then misfired at the other end as well,” said Prutton, on the Sky Sports website.
“Victory on Friday night could send Sheffield United top of the table. Their performance against Villa earlier this season was arguably their best of the season, Chris Wilder will go there to win and I think they will do that.”
OPINION
It is hard to predict anything but a Sheffield United win on Friday. Wilder’s men have been sensational this term and are perhaps the most in-form team out of the top five sides in the Championship right now. Billy Sharp has been superb in front of goal and he is more than likely going to continue that streak against a sloppy Villa defence this week. Smith has not sorted out his defence as good as he should have in January. It remains to be seen how well Tyrone Mings does, but Kortney Hause was hardly a great addition and there is still an issue with the left-back position. Both of them can fill in there, but Neil Taylor has been poor this term and Villa could have done with a natural left-back to play there instead of the Wales international. The Blades will get in the face of the Villans defence and that is more than likely what will settle this tie. Jack Grealish’s absence is also a massive blow for Villa.