- 1 Sheffield United vs Bolton Wanderers: three draws on one side, a tight defence on the other
- 2 Sheffield United keep stacking up the draws and staring at the numbers
- 3 Bolton Wanderers defend better than they attack
- 4 Football preview Sheffield United vs Bolton Wanderers
- 5 First, a word on our free picks
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes fast
- 8 Your responsibility
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Sheffield United vs Bolton Wanderers: three draws on one side, a tight defence on the other 
Sheffield United have neither won nor lost since the start of the season, with three draws from three games. Bolton Wanderers head to Bramall Lane after suffering their first defeat since promotion.
Kick-off is set for 7.45pm local time on Tuesday in South Yorkshire. The Blades come in off a lively 2-2 draw at Cardiff City.
The Trotters went down 1-0 at home to another newly promoted side, Lincoln City. That result snapped what had been a better-than-expected start to the campaign.
The table still has Bolton in 11th and Sheffield United in 14th, separated by a single point. Both teams have scored exactly two league goals and conceded exactly two.
That kind of symmetry tells you what sort of game this could be: neither side opens up easily. The Blades have not scored more than once in a single league half this season.
The clubs have not met since 2019, before the pandemic. Sheffield United spent time in the Premier League while Bolton dropped all the way down to the fourth tier.
There is also plenty going on off the pitch for the Blades, who are facing a possible points deduction. That cloud makes every point at Bramall Lane even more valuable.
Sheffield United keep stacking up the draws and staring at the numbers 
Three matches, three points shared: the Blades still have not found the answer. Their latest trip to Cardiff City ended in a lively 2-2 draw.
Jack Moylan struck after just two minutes for the home side. Tom Cannon levelled from the spot before Callum O’Hare turned it around before the eighth minute.
Cardiff hit back through Cian Ashford before half-time, leaving Sheffield United with a third straight draw. The Bluebirds, it should be said, have exactly the same record of three draws from three.
The overall picture looks better, with two EFL Cup wins, away to Mansfield Town and then Blackburn Rovers. Chris Wilder is still waiting for a league win, though.
That urgency comes from a heavy off-field issue: the company used in the club’s takeover was placed into liquidation by the High Court around two weeks ago. The Blades could face a deduction of up to 12 points, not far off the punishment that sent Sheffield Wednesday down last season.
Wilder may tinker with his team, especially up front. Ben Brereton Diaz, back on loan last week, looks a strong candidate to start.
Tahith Chong and Ryan One are both out with muscle problems. That’s two attacking options down for a side that has only scored two league goals.
Sheffield United still have not won a league game this season, but they have not lost one either. They are the only other side in the division, along with Cardiff City, to remain unbeaten without a win.
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Bolton Wanderers defend better than they attack 
The Trotters have also seen all three results in three matches. Their unbeaten run ended on Saturday against Lincoln City, who left with a 1-0 win.
Their return to the second tier came through the play-offs, after seven years away and a spell in League Two. The 4-1 win over Stockport County at Wembley sealed the move back up.
Steven Schumacher opened the season with a 2-1 win over Preston North End on opening day. A point from Loftus Road then underlined the way the team has settled in.
Plenty tipped Bolton to finish bottom, but they sit 11th ahead of this fourth round of fixtures. Just two league goals conceded is the best defensive return in the division, level with Sheffield United.
The problem is at the other end. The Trotters have not scored in close to 245 minutes of league football. A tricky summer window has left them short of options.
Sam Dalby, who scored Bolton’s first goal since promotion, should keep his place up front. Schumacher does not have many alternatives anyway.
Ruben Rodrigues is still out, sidelined by a knee injury suffered after the EFL Cup exit to Sheffield Wednesday. His absence strips the side of its main creative spark between the lines.
Bolton were widely written off before a ball was kicked this season. Three games in, 11th place has already blown that pre-season verdict apart.
Probable Sheffield United XI: Cooper ; Baptiste, Tanganga, McGuinness, McCallum ; Donovan, Rothwell, Peck, O’Hare ; Brereton Diaz, Cannon
Probable Bolton Wanderers XI: Bonham ; Brunt, Forino, Famewo, Conway ; Sheehan, Erhahon ; Iling-Junior, McAtee, Gale ; Dalby
Football preview Sheffield United vs Bolton Wanderers
Our pick: Under 2.5 goals
Both teams have the same league numbers after three rounds: two goals scored, two conceded. No other fixture this round brings together two less productive attacks.
Bolton have not scored in almost 245 minutes and arrive without Ruben Rodrigues. Sheffield United, meanwhile, are missing Tahith Chong and Ryan One, while Ben Brereton Diaz is just back on loan and may have to hit the ground running.
Go with under 2.5 goals: this one looks set to be decided by one or two goals at most at Bramall Lane.
Both sides have shipped just two goals in three games, the best defensive total in the division. That sort of double lock matters more than Sheffield United’s need to finally get a win.
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