Should the football schedule return to normal this week, Swansea City will host Sheffield United at the Swansea.com Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Blades sit top of the Championship, having amassed 17 points from their eight games, winning four of their last five matches. They have scored the joint most goals in the division - 16 (in comparison Swansea have struck just seven times) - and look to be one of the early frontrunners not just for automatic promotion but for the second-tier title.
It's been a strange few years for the Bramall Lane club since Premier League relegation.
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While in the top flight they splurged big money on two strikers well known in these parts - Oliver McBurnie and Rhian Brewster. Under Graham Potter the former hit 24 goals in all competitions and earned his move to the bright lights of the best league in the world.
For that Swansea received £20million. Brewster, who arrived on loan from Liverpool under Steve Cooper's watch, bagged his own transfer to the Blades in a deal worth £23million after a six-month spell in south Wales saw him net 11 goals in 22 outings.
Both moves were a gamble and neither striker's Swansea form has been replicated in Yorkshire though. The step up in quality and injuries hampered their impacts but for McBurnie in particular, something has clicked in recent weeks.
After going more than 40 league games without a goal, the Scotland international has scored three in three games and he is now fulfilling that role supporters hoped he would when their return to the Championship was confirmed. As Swansea fans well know, McBurnie is a more than capable striker at this level.
Former Blades player Carl Asaba believes he is a player transformed.
“Oli McBurnie. Three in three, transformed striker. You know last season much maligned, this season full of energy, constant threat, basically a perfect number nine. I’m just so delighted for him. He’s worked his socks off, great character and he’s a great lad,” Asaba said on the Blades Heaven podcast.
“Last season I was protecting him and justifying him. He doesn’t look like he was just being asked to score goals. He was being asked to protect the ball. Whether that’s a hangover from the Premier League because you keep the ball and if you don’t the opposition score. In the Champ he was keeping it and not looking a threat. He looks determined to score.”
His manager, too, has been impressed with his ethic. Paul Heckingbottom said recently : “He’s leading the line well – that’s one of the pleasing things.
“It’s great that he’s scoring but his performances are also helping us to win games. For him to score another goal was great. Oli’s physical presence gives us a different threat inside the box. He was outstanding.”
His team-mates have also recognised the effort he puts in. Wes Foderingham added : "Oli had a really difficult time and what people don't see is how hard he works off the pitch.
“He comes with a bit of a reputation but I can tell you, he's been working so hard with extra sessions at home in the gym and doing things right, day to day. And now he's reaping the rewards for that. So all credit to him.”
For Brewster, things still aren't quite in place yet. The 22-year-old has yet to break his duck this season and has only netted four times in total since moving north. On the comeback trail from serious injury, he will have to bide his time. With the Blades flying high at the top of the table, it will be the former Reds man's job to displace McBurnie from the centre-forward's position.
United fans will want to see more from Brewster to justify that huge outlay but in McBurnie they are beginning to see a return on the club's investment.
Swansea, though, will hope both men have an off day when they arrive in SA1 on Tuesday.
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