Blackburn Rovers vs Sheffield United: EFL Cup Clash Preview
Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United step away from the grind of the Championship on Tuesday night, but nobody is treating this as a breather. Ewood Park hosts an EFL Cup tie between two unbeaten sides, both still working out exactly what they are this season – and how far they can go.
Mowbray’s second act gathers pace
Blackburn arrive with a spring in their step and a familiar face back in the dugout. Tony Mowbray’s return was supposed to steady the club after last season’s narrow escape under Michael O'Neill. So far, it has done more than that.
The campaign began with jeopardy. Away at Burton Albion in the first round of the EFL Cup, Rovers trailed 1-0 heading into the final 10 minutes. Then Andri Gudjohnsen dragged them level. Jayden Fevrier, off the bench, stole it in the 88th minute. A 2-1 comeback, a place in round two, and an early jolt of belief.
That resilience has spilled into the league. Blackburn opened their Championship season at newly-promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers and looked set for a statement win, only to concede a late penalty in a 2-2 draw. Frustrating, but the performance carried promise.
On Saturday, they backed it up. Middlesbrough led at Ewood, only for Rovers to turn the game on its head after the break. Gudjohnsen scored again, Todd Cantwell joined him on the sheet, and Mowbray’s side claimed another second-half turnaround. Four points from two tricky fixtures, and a growing sense that this team can hurt opponents late.
Gudjohnsen has been at the heart of it all, scoring in each of Blackburn’s three competitive matches so far. The Icelandic forward is giving Mowbray exactly what any returning manager craves: a focal point to build around.
Now the focus snaps back to the EFL Cup. Progress to the third round would not define Blackburn’s season, but it would deepen the momentum Mowbray has been quietly building since day one.
He is likely to shuffle the pack to keep legs fresh. Fevrier, the match-winner at Burton, is pushing for a first start of the season in the attacking line, with Mathias Jorgensen also in contention to come in. At the back, Hayden Carter could be drafted into the defence, while Jake Garrett is in line for minutes in midfield. Even with rotation, Gudjohnsen has every chance of keeping his place up front, given his form and importance.
Blackburn’s possible XI: Toth; Alebiosu, Atcheson, Carter, Ribeiro; Garrett, Forshaw; Fevrier, Ohashi, Jorgensen; Gudjohnsen.
Sheffield United: clean sheets, noise and a need for goals
If Blackburn’s early weeks have been about on-pitch revival, Sheffield United’s have been dominated by what is happening off it.
Chris Wilder’s side are trying to shake off the flatness of last season’s 13th-placed Championship finish. They started 2026-27 with a comfortable EFL Cup win, easing past Mansfield Town 3-0 away. Patrick Bamford, Mark McGuinness and Callum O'Hare all found the net, a professional job that set the tone.
Then the league began – and the goals dried up. Two Championship matches, two 0-0 draws. First at home to Birmingham City, then away at Swansea City. Sheffield United stand as the only team in the division yet to score, but also one of just two to have kept two clean sheets.
So there is a split narrative at Bramall Lane. On one side, a defence that has yet to be breached in three competitive games. On the other, an attack still searching for rhythm, while ownership issues and the threat of a possible points deduction hover in the background.
On the pitch, Wilder has already started to tweak. He moved to a 3-5-2 in their second league outing, a shape that could be retained at Ewood Park with options waiting in reserve. Matt Doherty, Jamal Baptiste and Rhys Norrington-Davies are all candidates to rotate into the back line.
Kalvin Phillips remains unavailable as he works back to fitness, and Ryan One, who missed the trip to Swansea through injury, is again a doubt. That opens the door for others. Jamie Shackleton and Jairo Riedewald are both pushing for first starts of the season in midfield.
Up front, Wilder may look to freshen things. O'Hare supported Bamford at the weekend, but Tom Cannon, Romelle Donovan and Tyrese Campbell are all hoping to be unleashed from the start, particularly with the team still chasing that first Championship goal.
Sheffield United’s possible XI: Cooper; Baptiste, McGuinness, Norrington-Davies; Doherty, Riedewald, Arblaster, Burrows; Donovan, Campbell, Cannon.
Edge with Blackburn – just
Strip away the noise, and Tuesday’s tie looks finely balanced. One side buzzing from late comebacks and a new-old manager bounce. The other quietly building defensive solidity while wrestling with uncertainty away from the pitch.
Blackburn’s early-season punch under Mowbray, especially their ability to turn games around, gives them a slight edge. Sheffield United have only beaten Mansfield so far and are still waiting for their attacking pieces to click against Championship-level opposition.
Prediction: Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Sheffield United.
If Rovers find another gear under the lights and Gudjohnsen keeps his streak alive, this could be another step in a cup run that starts to shape the mood of their season.
