The Hawthorns

Thursday 11th August 2022 -  20:00
West Brom
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Sheff Utd
Stream on WBA TV
Key Events

Carabao Cup

West Bromwich Albion turn their attention to the Carabao Cup on Thursday night when fellow Sky Bet Championship side Sheffield United visit The Hawthorns for a first-round tie.

The two teams have met 117 times over the course of history, but only once have they faced each other in the League Cup – a second-round clash in 1974 in B71, a fixture which Albion won 2-1.

The Baggies have won the League Cup once before in 1966, while the Blades are yet to get their hands on the trophy.

Follow the match live

Listen to every kick of Albion’s Carabao Cup clash with the Blades with a WBA TV Matchday audio pass.

WBA Radio duo Gez Mulholland and Andy Johnson will provide live commentary from The Hawthorns as the Baggies look to secure safe passage to the second round.

Audio passes can be purchased for £2.50 by clicking here.

WBA TV Matchday

Our opponents

Sheffield United have had a mixed start to the season, winning one and losing one of their opening two matches in the Sky Bet Championship.

Thursday's guests lost 1-0 at Watford in their first match before recording a 2-0 triumph at home to Millwall on Saturday afternoon.

The Blades were beaten on penalties by eventual winners Nottingham Forest in the play-off semi-final last season, but they'll be hoping to go one better this time around and earn promotion back to the Premier League.

Boss Paul Heckingbottom would be forgiven for prioritising United's progress in the league rather than the cup competitions in 2022/23, but the Blades have twice reached the last four of the League Cup against all the odds before.

The class of 2002/03 were beaten 3-2 on aggregate by Liverpool, while in 2014/15 with Sheffield United then playing in the third tier, they were knocked out by the same scoreline over two legs by Tottenham Hotspur.

The Blades haven't advanced beyond round three of the Carabao Cup since that semi-final defeat to Spurs, but they'll be hoping they can mount a charge towards the latter stages once again this term, while also attacking the top six spots in the Championship.

From the Albion Archive

Albion put four past the Blades in August 2021 on a thrilling night at The Hawthorns.

Jack Robinson scored an own goal before strikes from Dara O'Shea, Alex Mowatt and Callum Robinson sealed an impressive victory.

One for the stattos

Only seven of the previous 117 meetings have been in a cup competition, with six of those coming in the FA Cup.

The overall head-to-head record is very tight. Albion have 46 victories to their name, Sheffield United have 44, with 27 draws also being played out.

Fan Zone

The Fan Zone will not be open for Thursday's match, as previously stated here.

The Fan Zone will be open for all home matches played over a weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday).

Karlan Grant celebrates his goal against Sheffield United

Albion secured progress through to the Carabao Cup second round by beating Sheffield United 1-0 at The Hawthorns on Thursday evening

After an entertaining, but goalless, first half, Baggies substitute Karlan Grant notched the only goal of the game with only 18 minutes remaining.

The win sets up a trip to Sky Bet League One side Derby County. The tie is due to be played in the week commencing Monday, August 22.

Steve Bruce made 10 changes from Monday night’s draw with Watford, naming Academy graduates Zac Ashworth and Reyes Cleary among a starting XI for the first time, as well as handing Okay Yokuslu his maiden start since returning to B71.

Bathed in the Black Country sunshine, it was the Blades who almost opened the scoring inside six minutes – Rhian Brewster smashing the post to give Albion an early scare.

While down the other end Cleary had Albion’s best chance of the first period – Taylor Gardner-Hickman superbly sending him through on goal, but the forward seeing his finish well saved by Wes Foderingham.

With half-time approaching Adam Reach could have handed the Baggies an advantage, too, however United’s goalkeeper was on hand again to palm away his side-footed strike.

The hosts continued to create the better opportunities following the break, Callum Robinson – making his first competitive appearance this season - forcing Foderingham into a decent stop from the edge of the box.

Still, the Blades continued to pose a danger on the counter-attack and went close when Alex Palmer kept out Reda Khadra’s effort. United’s No.11, fortunately, then blazed his rebound narrowly wide.

Reach nearly nodded Albion in front midway through the second half, Foderingham again proving to be his nemesis, before Bruce’s men finally did take the lead on 72 minutes. Robinson retrieved a lost ball and crossed straight at substitute Grant to head home with what may well have been his first touch.

The Baggies were inches away from netting another soon after, Robinson’s deflected shot hitting the crossbar and Phillips’ volleyed rebound, quite incredibly, doing exactly the same thing.

And there was to be no late drama either, as Albion comfortably saw the victory out despite six added minutes and sealed their spot in round two.

Albion: Palmer; Gardner-Hickman, Bartley (Townsend 70), O’Shea, Ashworth; Yokuslu (Molumby 61), Mowatt; Phillips, Robinson (Fellows 85), Reach; Cleary (Grant 70, Swift 85).

Substitutes: Cann, Ajayi, Ingram, Wallace.

Attendance: 6,747