Blackburn Rovers vs Sheffield United: EFL Cup Clash Preview

Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United collide at Ewood Park on Tuesday night with something more than simple cup progression at stake. Both are unbeaten. Both are trying to shape a new story for the season. The EFL Cup second round arrives as an early test of who is really building momentum – and who is just treading water.

Mowbray’s Blackburn find their edge again

Blackburn step into their fourth game of the 2026-27 campaign with a familiar figure back in the dugout. Tony Mowbray has returned to Ewood Park, tasked with turning last season’s narrow survival under Michael O'Neill into something more ambitious.

So far, his team have responded.

The season started with late drama at Burton Albion in the first round of the EFL Cup. Trailing 1-0 heading into the final 10 minutes, Blackburn looked set for an early exit. Then Andri Gudjohnsen struck. Jayden Fevrier followed with an 88th-minute winner. A 2-1 comeback, job done, and a first hint that this side might carry a bit of stubbornness.

The league campaign has only underlined that. Away at newly-promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers, Blackburn led but were pegged back by a late penalty in a 2-2 draw. On Saturday, they went behind again, this time to Middlesbrough. Again they found a response. Gudjohnsen scored for the third straight competitive match, Todd Cantwell added another in the second half, and Mowbray’s men turned it around.

Four points from two tough Championship fixtures. Three games unbeaten in all competitions. Two second-half comebacks already. There’s a pattern forming.

Now the focus swings back to the cup, and Blackburn know exactly what’s on offer: another home win, a third-round place, and more proof that Mowbray’s second spell is gathering speed.

They will have to do it without Moussa Baradji, Dion De Neve, Augustus Kargbo, Lewis Miller and Scott Wharton, all still sidelined. That may nudge Mowbray towards rotation after a positive start, but not a full overhaul.

Fevrier, the late hero at Burton, is pushing to start in one of the attacking roles. Mathias Jorgensen is also in line for a first start of the season up front. At the back, Hayden Carter could come into the defence, with Jake Garrett an option to freshen up midfield. Gudjohnsen, though, has made himself difficult to leave out; three goals in three games should keep him at the heart of the attack.

A likely Blackburn XI: Toth; Alebiosu, Atcheson, Carter, Ribeiro; Garrett, Forshaw; Fevrier, Ohashi, Jorgensen; Gudjohnsen.

Wilder’s Blades solid, but searching for spark

Across the halfway line on Tuesday will stand a Sheffield United side still trying to work out exactly what they are this season.

Chris Wilder’s team laboured to a 13th-placed finish in the Championship last term. It wasn’t disastrous, but it was far from inspiring. The new campaign needed a statement start, and for 90 minutes at Mansfield Town in the EFL Cup, they delivered one.

A 3-0 away win, clean and clinical. Patrick Bamford on the scoresheet, Mark McGuinness adding another, Callum O'Hare rounding it off. Job done, confidence banked, and a first tick in the box.

Then the league began, and the goals stopped.

A goalless draw at home to Birmingham City. Another 0-0 away at Swansea City. Two points, two clean sheets, but not a single Championship goal to their name. Sheffield United are the only side in the division yet to score and one of just two with two clean sheets. Solid at the back, blunt at the front.

All this plays out against a tense backdrop. Early-season headlines at Bramall Lane have been dominated by ownership issues and the looming threat of a possible points deduction. The uncertainty off the pitch hangs over everything.

On it, Wilder can at least point to three consecutive clean sheets in all competitions. His side are hard to break down. The challenge now is to find a cutting edge without losing that defensive steel.

He, too, is likely to shuffle his pack for the trip to Ewood Park. Kalvin Phillips is still not fit enough to feature, and Ryan One missed the draw at Swansea through injury. Wilder switched to a 3-5-2 for that game and has options to rotate within that shape.

Matt Doherty, Jamal Baptiste and Rhys Norrington-Davies could all come into the back line. In midfield, Jamie Shackleton and Jairo Riedewald are both candidates for first starts of the season. Up front, Tom Cannon, Romelle Donovan and Tyrese Campbell are all pushing for minutes, with O'Hare recently operating just off key man Bamford.

A possible Blades XI: Cooper; Baptiste, McGuinness, Norrington-Davies; Doherty, Riedewald, Arblaster, Burrows; Donovan, Campbell, Cannon.

Fine margins at Ewood Park

Strip it back, and Tuesday’s tie looks like a clash between a side riding the wave of late comebacks and another clinging to defensive resilience.

Blackburn have already shown they can chase a game and finish strongly. Sheffield United have shown they can shut things down and keep their shape. Something has to give.

With both managers likely to rotate, depth and rhythm could decide it. Blackburn’s front line, led by the in-form Gudjohnsen, has the sharper edge right now. Sheffield United, still waiting for their first league goal, need someone to break the dam.

Prediction: Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Sheffield United.

If Mowbray’s men keep finding ways to turn matches their way, this cup run might not stop at the third round.