Preview | Sheffield United v Swansea City

Swansea City are back in action on Good Friday as they prepare to take on Sheffield United at Bramall Lane (3pm).

It is the first fixture after an international break where 12 Swans were out on duty for their respective countries. Vitor Matos' side come into the fixture on the back of two consecutive losses against Wrexham and Coventry respectively.

The Blades, meanwhile, have improved with Chris Wilder back at the helm, a run of three wins from the last eight looks to have ended any hopes of a late play-off push. The Yorkshire side have won one of their last five home league fixtures.

Team news

Josh Key is set to miss Swansea City's Easter fixtures due to a hip injury, while Ethan Galbraith is being assessed after reporting a calf issue upon his return from international duty.

Defender Key missed the game against Coventry after picking up his injury during the game against Wrexham, and Matos confirmed he will be sidelined for at least the next three games.

Galbraith, meanwhile, returned from featuring for Northern Ireland against Italy and Wales with a calf complaint, but it is too early to say if it will keep him out of Friday's trip to take on Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Pre-match views

Vitor Matos: "It’s important that we not only address this next game and the one on Monday (against Middlesbrough), but how we approach and understand this last part of the season, that we need to get everything we can out of it.

“That’s the most important thing, to have that right mentality and right mindset, game by game.

“So we need to approach Sheffield United with hunger and desire, they are a really good team with players that have played in the Premier League, and a manager with a lot of experience who makes sure his teams are really well organised.

“They are strong at home and we need to be fighting for everything to get back to our way, and we want to start that in Sheffield.”

Chris Wilder: "Right the way through, we're always analysing and reviewing and one of the things I did say is that we have to be more robust and we have to be physically better individually and hopefully that gives us a better opportunity of winning games, I think.

"When you analyse the period that we've been in, what is it, 27 points (dropped) from winning positions? So, basically, you've put yourself in a winning position in this division, this tough division. You've put yourself in those winning positions quite a few times and you've not been able to see it out."

Meet the officials

Dean Whitestone will be the referee when Swansea City travel to face Sheffield United at Bramall Lane this afternoon (3pm).

The Northamptonshire official will take charge of a Swans fixture for the second time this season, having had the whistle for three of our games last term.

Whitestone has no shortage of experience, he has taken charge of over 550 professional matches, and has been refereeing for long enough to have had the whistle for a Swansea game during the club’s previous stint in the Championship.

So far this term he has taken charge of 22 games, handing out 71 yellow cards and two red cards.

Whitestone will be assisted by Sam Lewis and John Bickerdike, while Thomas Kirk is the fourth official.

Remember the last time?

Swansea City suffered a first Championship defeat in four games as an unfortunate Josh Tymon own goal saw them edged out by Sheffield United on their last visit to Bramall Lane.

The Swans left-back was unable to adjust to clear a Harrison Burrows cross in the final moments of the first half, diverting the ball into his own net for what proved to be the only goal of the contest.

The visitors made it a challenging evening for the unbeaten hosts – who were relegated from the Premier League last season and are fancied for an immediate return – particularly in a first half where they subdued the home crowd and had spells of control.

Just prior to Tymon’s own goal, they had created a great chance for Myles Peart-Harris, while there were several other moments of promise they could not make the most of.

The hosts had the better of the second period, striking the woodwork twice and seeing Lawrence Vigouroux make a handful of important stops, but had some nervy moments during the closing stages.

Prime numbers

1 - Sheffield United lost the reverse fixture against Swansea 1-0 in August, having won five in a row against the Swans before this.

4 - Sheffield United are winless in their last four league games (D2 L2), only having a longer run this season in their first six games (L6).