Sheffield Wednesday v Sheffield United: Championship – live!

A little over 24 years ago, Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday met at Wembley in an FA Cup semi-final. It didn’t really seem too extraordinary back then, although the wonderful free-kick from Chris Waddle that opened the scoring sticks in the mind to this day and there is also the memory of a grizzled Alan Cork rolling in an equaliser for the Blades. Wednesday went on to win and ran Arsenal agonisingly close in the final after a replay; it isn’t an exaggeration to say football in the Steel City has not come remotely close to a peak like that last-four clash since then, not really. Meetings between the clubs – and what a derby this is, at its best – have tended to smell of decline. Until now.
This is the first Sheffield derby in five and a half years, and the first to take place as high as the second tier in more than seven. Both teams are in the top 10 of the Championship; one of them, whatever happens, will be in the play-off positions at close of play today. While Sheffield Wednesday have come on very strong over the past two seasons under Carlos Carvalhal – perhaps not strong enough given the huge amount they’ve spent, if one is looking critically – it has been a slower route back for United after their prolonged stint in League One. Yet Chris Wilder’s team are the higher-placed of the two going into this one, lying seventh, and have started the season with real spark. Could we be about to see at least one Sheffield side finally make it back to the top flight?
Whether today really helps us answer that question remains to be seen. It’ll be fast, fraught and vigorous, in front of a baying Hillsborough crowd. It will definitely be good fun in an old-fashioned football city that still, when you watch matches there, feels like a bit of a throwback – a welcome reminder of the spirit football still engenders, but perhaps used to give rise to more widely. Strap in, send your emails and tweets over when you get the chance, and let’s enjoy it. Kick-off is at 1.15pm UK time.

SOURCE : GUARDIAN SPORTS
posted by CAMPUS94