Sheffield United headed into the new Championship campaign hoping to earn a return to the Premier League at the second time of asking, after Paul Heckingbottom’s appointment early last season triggered an improvement at Bramall Lane and saw the Blades earn a playoff place.
Having eventually finished fifth thanks to a strong second half to the campaign, they booked a semi-final tie with Nottingham Forest, and, after a 1-0 home defeat and an opening goal for Steve
Cooper’s men at the City Ground, the South Yorkshire outfit were able to take the contest to extra time as Morgan Gibbs-White and John Fleck hit second-half goals.
Eventually falling short in a penalty shootout, the Blades headed into a summer of preparation for their second year back in the Championship with several changes made to Heckingbottom’s squad, as the loans of Gibbs-White,
Ben Davies and Conor Hourihane came to an end, while Anel Ahmedhodzic, Ciaran Clark, Tommy Doyle and Reda Khadrahave all come through the door at Bramall Lane.
They faced the tough test of a trip to Watford to kick off the new term on Monday, and, after a goalless first half, the Blades were eventually condemned to a narrow defeat as Joao Pedro finished off a breakaway for the hosts.
Now looking for a first win in their bid to establish themselves in the leading pack in England’s second tier, Heckingbottom’s men will hope to make the most of home advantage in their first game at Bramall Lane of the new league season and put three points on the board.
Millwall, meanwhile, head into the new term hoping for further improvement under Gary Rowett, after finishing ninth last year and only dropping out of the top eight after a final-day defeat.
They enjoyed success over Saturday’s opponents, firstly winning 2-1 at Bramall Lane in October before Jake Cooper hit the only goal in a triumph at The Den in February.
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Looking to become even more competitive in the race for a top-six finish this time around, the London outfit kicked off their league season with a home contest against Stoke City
on Saturday, and they came out with all three points as debutant Charlie Cresswell scored both goals in a 2-0 home victory.
On the back of that positive start, Rowett’s men travelled to Cambridge United on Tuesday for an EFL Cup first-round tie, but they were unable to make it two wins from two competitive games as Liam O’Neillfired the hosts to a 1-0 win, dumping the Lions out of the competition.
