Tranmere Rovers v Sheffield United Match Preview

Total Tranmere brings you all the stats, facts and team news you need to know ahead of Tranmere's second home league game of the season against Sheffield United....

This Saturday Tranmere Rovers play their fourth League One game of the season and possibly face their toughest test to date as they take on joint table toppers Sheffield United.

It's early an early stage of the season but the Blades, now managed by Danny Wilson already look like promotion contenders having won all of their opening three games, a record that Les Parry will be keen to end this weekend.

Tranmere have a couple of absentee's for the game through suspension but confidence will still be high in the camp after a positive start to the season and they'll be keen to get back to winning ways this weekend following Tuesday night's defeat to  Notts County.

Sheffield United Factfile:

Ground: Bramall Lane
Formed:  1889
Nickname: The Blades
Manager: Danny Wilson
League Finish 2011/12: 23rd (Championship)
Kit Colours: Red and white striped shirt, black shorts and black socks (home), All yellow shirt and shorts with black socks (away)

Previous Meetings:

These two sides last met on New Years Day during the 2000/01 season, a year which disappointingly saw Tranmere relegated from Division One during the same campaign in which Tranmere defeated Southampton and Everton in the F.A. Cup.

Tranmere fielded a side that included the likes of Jason Koumas, Clint Hill, Steve Yates and John Achterberg and managed to secure a 1-0 win thanks to an eleventh minute strike from Andy Parkinson, a result that lifted Tranmere up to 20th in the table, one point outside of the relegation zone.

Sheffield United, who named former Tranmere players David Kelly and Georges Santos in their starting XI, had earlier beaten Rovers 2-0 at Bramall Lane in August, Marcus Bent netting either side of half time to secure the victory.

Vital Stats:

If Tranmere win this game, they will go to a total of 9 points from 4 games - it took them 10 games to achieve the same total last season

Rovers have only won two of their previous nine home games against the Blades, losing on three occasions

In these nine games, Tranmere have scored 13 goals, conceding on 16 occasions

This will be only the third out of nineteen meetings between the two teams outside of the second division

There have only been two clean sheets kept in the last nine games between these two sides, with each side keeping a clean sheet on the way to victory during the 2000/01 season

On This Day:

2005: Brian Little's Tranmere continue their poor start to the season as they slip to a 2-0 defeat to Brentford, leaving them with just one point from their opening four games

1994: John Aldridge nets twice alongside Pat Nevin as Tranmere defeat Swindon 3-2 at Prenton Park

1991: John King's Rovers sneak a thriller against Halifax in the League Cup as they come from 3-2 down at half time to win 4-3

Tranmere have played thirteen previous games on this day, picking up three wins, three draws and nine seven defeats.  In these thirteen games, they have scored fourteen goals and conceded on 25 occasions.

Rovers however have only played on four games at Prenton Park on this day, and of these four games, they have picked up two wins as well as a draw and a defeat.

The Form Book:

Tranmere Rovers first four games: LWLW
Sheffield United first four games: WWDW

Following a turbulant 2010/11 season which saw the Blades managed by four different bosses and finish 23rd in the Championship, Sheffield United have started the new season in style, winning all three of their league games so far.

Under the leadership of new boss Danny Wilson, a controversial appointment due to his Sheffield Wednesday connections, the Bramall Lane club started the season in style, beating Oldham Athletic 2-0 at Boundary Park before drawing 1-1 with Hartlepool United in the League Cup, a game they eventually won on penalties.

They then won 2-0 against Brentford in their first home league game of the new campaign before in their most recent fixture, they came from behind to defeat Walsall 3-2, also at Bramall Lane, with Richard Cresswell netting in all three league games.

All this means the Blades have picked up a full quota of nine points from their opening three games, leaving them joint top of the League One table with Charlton Athletic.

Tranmere Rovers have started the season in fine form, picking up two wins from their opening four games, whilst they won their first two league games for the first time in over 20 years.

Les Parry's side started the season with a 1-0 win over Chesterfield thanks to a second half strike from Robbie Weir before they suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Championship side Doncaster Rovers in the League Cup.

Rovers then bounced back to record a 1-0 win over Leyton Orient in their second league game thanks to a stunning strike from debutant David Buchanan, before in their most recent game they took the lead against Notts County thanks to a superb hit from John Welsh, but eventually slipped to a 3-2 defeat, with David Raven and Adam McGurk both getting sent off.

Tranmere therefore come into this game having picked up six of an available nine points from their opening three games, meaning they lie sixth in the table.

Double Hit:

Over the past few years, a surprisingly large number of players have represented both Tranmere and Sheffield United, including Wayne Allison, Steve Yates, Andy Parkinson, Georges Santos, Andy Taylor (who is still with the Blades), David Kelly, Shane Nicholson and Mark Rankine.

Another such player is Sheffield United goalkeeper Steve Simonsen, who started his career with Tranmere Rovers.

"Simmo" came through the youth ranks at Prenton Park and was touted as one of the best young goalkeepers in the world during his time in John Aldridge's side.

He made his debut during the 1996/97 season, battling it out with Danny Coyne for the number 1 spot and forcing Eric Nixon out on loan.

Over two seasons at Prenton Park, Simonsen made 42 appearances for Tranmere before moving to Everton despite interest from Glasgow Rangers.

The fee for Simonsen's move to Everton should have been in the region of £3.3 million, but it was largely based on appearances and it's believed Tranmere never received the full fee for the goalkeeper as he very rarely featured for the Toffees due to their financial difficulties.

In six years at Everton then, Simonsen's career stalled and the player who was once touted as a future England goalkeeper only managed to make 37 appearances.

In 2004, he left Everton on a free transfer, joining Stoke City where he became first choice goalkeeper for a number of years as he helped the Britannia Stadium club into the Premier League.

However, when Stoke signed Thomas Sorensen following promotion, Simonsen struggled to hold down a first team place and found himself out of the picture with the Potters.

In March 2010, Simonsen joined Sheffield United on loan having made 187 appearances with the club over six years.

He impressed whilst on loan with the Blades and having made seven appearances, he joined the club permanently last summer and has since played a further 51 first team games.

Now aged 32, Simonsen is making his first return to Prenton Park since leaving the club 13 years ago.

One To Watch:

One of the most talented players in Sheffield United's squad is experienced striker Richard Cresswell, who has netted in all three of the Blades' league games so far this season.

The 33-year old started his career with York City where he was part of the first team between 1995 and 1999, scoring 24 goals, before moving on to Sheffield Wednesday for £950,000.

He remained with the Owls for only a year however and failed to establish himself in the first team, making on eight starts from 36 appearances before moving on to Leicester City in September 2000 for £750,000.

Again, Cresswell failed to hold down a first team place and moved out on loan to Preston in March before joining the club permanently in June 2001 for £500,000, lasting only a year with Martin O'Neill's side.

With Preston, Cresswell had his most successful spell with a club to date as he netted 55 goals over a four year period, making 192 appearances for the club and becoming a firm fan favourite before moving on to Leeds for £1,150,000 in 2005.

Cresswell stayed with the Elland Road club for two years, scoring eleven times before leaving the club after their relegation to League One, joining Stoke for an undisclosed fee.

Whilst with Stoke, Cresswell spent time on loan at Sheffield United in 2009 before making the move permanent in January 2010, joining, again, for an undisclosed fee, having impressed during his loan spell after netting three times in eleven games.

Since making his move permanent, Cresswell has netted 19 goals from 64 games, including 3 strikes this season.

The 6 foot target man, who wears the number 17 shirt for the club and has been a key player for the club so far this season.

Around League One:

There is a full round of fixtures in League One this weekend, all kicking off at 3pm on Saturday afternoon:

Brentford vs. Leyton Orient
Carlisle vs. Bournemouth
Charlton vs. Scunthorpe
Huddersfield vs. Colchester
MK Dons vs. Chesterfield
Oldham vs. Rochdale
Preston vs. Exeter
Sheffield Wednesday vs. Notts County
Stevenage vs. Hartlepool
Tranmere vs. Sheffield United
Walsall vs. Yeovil
Wycombe vs. Bury 

Team News:

Tranmere have two players supsended for this game, with Dave Raven and Adam McGurk set to miss out after being sent off in controversial circumstances against Notts County on Tuesday.

With those two set to miss out, Zoumana Bakayogo will come into the side at left-midfield whilst Michael Kay will start at right-back, with both players starting their third games of the season after being dropped following the 3-0 defeat to Doncaster.

Ian Goodison is a doubt for the game after coming off with a head injury against County though he should start, whilst two of Max Power, Danny Holmes, Ash Taylor and Mustafa Tiryaki will come on to the bench.

Rovers are also likely to be without second choice goalkeeper Andy Coughlin, meaning youth team shot stopper John Courtney will continue on the bench.

Jones’ Prediction: Tranmere 1-1 Sheffield United

This will be a hugely tough game for Tranmere Rovers against a side who've started the League One campaign in great form.

However, Les Parry's side have also started the season in good form, whilst they've proved in the last couple of seasons that they have what it takes to beat the bigger teams on home soil.

I would therefore back Rovers to pick up at least a point from this game, especially if Andy Robinson continues to pull the strings in front of the midfield, with Robbie Weir continuing to get forward well from midfield too.

With Adam McGurk missing for Rovers though, it's important that Martin Devaney has a good game on the right-wing, whilst Zoumana  Bakayogo will need to perform well on the left too.