Follow live coverage as Sheffield United face Sunderland in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Sheffield United FC 0 - 0 Sunderland AFC
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:49First Half ends, Sheffield United 0, Sunderland 0.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:48Second yellow card to Harry Souttar (Sheffield United) for a bad foul.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:47Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:48Foul by Harry Souttar (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:47Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:46Foul by Callum O'Hare (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:43Offside, Sheffield United. Tyrese Campbell is caught offside.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:43Attempt blocked. Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:41Chris Mepham (Sunderland) is shown the red card.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:40Tyrese Campbell (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:39Offside, Sunderland. Wilson Isidor is caught offside.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:38Foul by Vinicius Souza (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:37Tyrese Campbell (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:36Harry Souttar (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:35Attempt missed. Tom Watson (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Chris Rigg following a fast break.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:35Sydie Peck (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:35Attempt missed. Wilson Isidor (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Tom Watson.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:33Attempt blocked. Tom Watson (Sunderland) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:31Offside, Sunderland. Wilson Isidor is caught offside.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:31Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Michael Cooper.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:31Penalty saved. Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) left footed shot saved in the bottom right corner.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:31Jack Robinson (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:29Penalty conceded by Jack Robinson (Sheffield United) after a foul in the penalty area.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:29Attempt blocked. Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jobe Bellingham.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:27Attempt missed. Tom Watson (Sunderland) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top left corner.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:27Attempt blocked. Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Trai Hume with a cross.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:23Foul by Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:21Tyrese Campbell (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:17Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Chris Mepham.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:19Attempt blocked. Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Harrison Burrows.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:16Foul by Patrick Roberts (Sunderland).
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:16Harrison Burrows (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:17Attempt blocked. Tom Watson (Sunderland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Luke O'Nien.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:14Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Vinicius Souza.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:13Foul by Callum O'Hare (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:13Attempt blocked. Dan Neil (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Patrick Roberts.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:11Hand ball by Vinicius Souza (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:09Attempt missed. Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:05Attempt missed. Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Callum O'Hare.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:04Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Tom Watson.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
20:01First Half begins.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
19:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Sheffield United vs Sunderland
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