Championship Play-Off Semi-Final Preview – Gab Sutton

There’s a common play-off myth, perpetuated perhaps by the memorability of Ian Holloway’s Blackpool in 2010, that the team that sneaks into sixth have a psychological advantage because they see it as a huge opportunity to be there, whereas the team that just falls short of automatic promotion is at a disadvantage, as they rue a missed opportunity.

Perfectly sound logic in theory, but it doesn’t square up in practice: in each of the last four Championship play-off Semi-Finals between third and sixth, the team with the most points over the course of the season has won.

The Blades have two of the star players in the division in goalkeeper Michael Cooper, rested for the final day of the league season against Blackburn, and Gustavo Hamer, who has just won Championship Player of the Year.

Meanwhile, Vinicius Souza and Sydie Peck are up there with one of the best midfield pairings in the Championship, with the former’s playmaking from deep combined with the latter’s progressive, dynamic qualities.

Opponents Bristol City, meanwhile, will be without Joe Williams and Scott Twine, who were forced off against Preston North End on the final day, and are missing some left-footed balance on the left flank due to the absence of wing-back Cam Pring.

So, Sheffield United are the stronger team, and Bristol City have taken only six points from eight games against the ‘breakaway big four’ this season – three of which coming against a Sunderland side knowing their fate.

Sunderland’s position, going into the play-offs, is difficult to ascertain.

An optimist would say they’ve had the most time to prepare of the four, by some distance, spending the last six weeks resting and rotating, almost as if it were a mini pre-season, getting their squad into peak physical condition.

A pessimist, though, would say that they’ve not played with any real sense of purpose in that time, in the same way Sheffield United, Coventry and Bristol City have, and have lost their last five – so can they simply ‘turn on the tap’ now the meaning is significant?

Both sides are valid, but they have been the clear better side than visitors Coventry over the course of the season – especially when their league campaign was live - and still have an excellent XI, if Romaine Mundle is fit to come in for Chris Rigg, to allow Enzo Le Fee to star in the #10 role.

The Sky Blues, meanwhile, have some stand-out players in their best XI – Milan van Ewijk, Bobby Thomas, Matt Grimes, Ben Sheaf, Jack Rudoni, Haji Wright – but they also have areas like goalkeeper, left-back and up top that have been a bit more in question.

Whereas Sunderland’s all-round XI is stronger and that should show across the two legs.