International football will take a hiatus until 2025 following the final break of the year, meaning the Championship is set to resume this weekend. Both Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday will be battling for crucial points in their respective Saturday lunchtime matches.
Before the international break, the two Sheffield sides faced off in the Steel City Derby at Bramall Lane, with Sheffield United emerging victorious 1-0 thanks to a second-half goal from Tyrese Campbell. This win moved Chris Wilder’s team to 31 points, putting them level on points with Sunderland, who lead on goal difference. Sheffield Wednesday, currently 15th with 18 points, will host Cardiff City at Hillsborough for their next match. Meanwhile, United will travel to take on Coventry City, with the EFL confirming the referees for both fixtures.
Coventry City vs Sheffield United Referee
Darren Bond will officiate Sheffield United’s match against Coventry City at the Coventry Building Society Arena. He will be assisted by Darren Cann and Natalie Aspinall, with Ben Toner as the fourth official. Bond has officiated 20 Sheffield United matches in his career, with the most recent being their clash against Wolves in February this year.
Ahead of the match, David Prutton has predicted a comfortable win for Chris Wilder’s side, which could take them to the top of the table if results elsewhere go in their favor.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Cardiff City Referee
The referee for Sheffield Wednesday’s home match against Cardiff City will be Andrew Kitchen, assisted by Shaun Hudson and Carl Fitch-Jackson, with Martin Coy as the fourth official. This will be just the second time Kitchen has officiated a match involving Wednesday, his first being in 2022 when he oversaw a 3-0 win for the Owls over Morecambe in League One.
Cardiff City’s interim manager, Omer Riza, has prepared his team for a challenging match. Speaking to the club’s official website, Riza said, “From where they were last year to where they are now, there’s a consistent element to the way they play. Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough is always tough, and we’re expecting a difficult game. We’ve been preparing as usual, focusing on creativity, causing problems for the opposition, and being defensively solid. We’re aiming to approach the match with the right mindset and bring more energy and intensity to try and win the game.”