Blackburn come into this one unbeaten and purring. A 3-0 friendly romp over Barnsley in July set the tone, and the snippets tell us they've carried that into the 2026-27 campaign proper — still unbeaten, still confident. Ewood Park is a proper fortress on nights like this, and with the League Cup offering a genuine route to silverware, you can bet John Eustace's men will treat this with real intent. The injury list is a concern — Baradji, De Neve, Kargbo, Miller and Wharton all missing — but the squad has coped admirably, and the blend of youth and experience in that predicted XI looks more than capable.

Sheffield United, by contrast, are a side searching for answers. Three consecutive clean sheets is a solid defensive platform, no doubt, but the attacking numbers are alarming. On the opening day of the Championship season they managed just three shots and 0.29 xG — the lowest in the league since October 2024. That is not a team creating chances; that is a team hoping. Their pre-season friendly win over Huddersfield (3-1) hinted at rhythm, but the league form tells a starker story. Away from Bramall Lane, they've been tepid, and the under-2.5 trend in their recent road games suggests a side that struggles to impose itself.

Momentum is a real thing in cup football, and Blackburn have it. They're at home, they're confident, and they've got a point to prove after a solid start. Sheffield United look like a team still finding their feet under new management. This is the perfect time to catch them.