Fulham v Sheffield United predictions & free football betting tip

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Fulham v Sheffield United in the Championship on Monday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & Football, 7.45pm Monday

Best bet

Fulham
2pts 4-5 Coral

Team news

Fulham
The Whites have a near-clean bill of health, with Jay Stansfield the only confirmed absentee.

Sheffield United
This game comes too soon for Swedish international Robin Olsen while Adlene Guedioura and Rhian Brewster are also sidelined. John Fleck is nearing a return.

Match preview

Fulham and Sheffield United have headed in very different directions since being relegated from the Premier League last season and the Cottagers can show why they are in pole position to return to England’s top flight.

Marco Silva has had an immediate impact at Craven Cottage and despite four consecutive draws, the Londoners lead the way in the Championship and can stretch their lead at the summit to five points with victory.

Fulham are already as short as 4-9 to be crowned champions while Sheffield United, who sit 14th after 21 games, are 13-2 just to secure promotion.

That highlights the difference in class between the two relegated sides of last season and the form should be upheld in the capital.

The Blades arrive at the Cottage on a winning run of three and have been rejuvenated by the reappointment of Paul Heckingbottom, but victories over Reading, Bristol City and Cardiff shouldn’t cut it.

Locating a regular source of goals still remains an issue for Sheffield United, who have netted just 28 goals in 21 games and have veteran Billy Sharp as their leading marksman with only six.

The Sheffield club have also won only four of their 11 away league games, losing on trips to Bournemouth, Blackburn and West Brom - the other three sides along with Fulham sitting in the top four.

Heckingbottom certainly has star quality at his disposal and Fulham must be wary of the threat they cause, but it is the Cottagers who boast the greater attacking talent.

Fulham have fired home 51 goals in 22 league games and have the Championship’s leading scorer in Aleksandar Mitrovic, who has netted 22 of that tally.

The Serbian has great support from Harry Wilson and Neeskens Kebano and their defence isn’t bad either, with them keeping eight clean sheets this season.

Silva’s side have lost only one of their 11 home league games this term, brushing aside top-six outfits West Brom, QPR and Stoke, and they were unfortunate in the latest 1-1 draw with second-placed Bournemouth given they dominated the shot count 24 to eight.

The Cottagers may also have a fitness advantage on their rivals, who are without a competitive game for 16 days after their latest clash with Queen’s Park Rangers was postponed, which makes them the standout selection at 4-5.

Key stat

Fulham are unbeaten in five meetings with Sheffield United, winning on four occasions.

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