Follow live coverage as Sheffield United face Middlesbrough in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Sheffield United FC 1 - 1 Middlesbrough FC
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:33Luke Ayling (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:33Substitution, Middlesbrough. Morgan Whittaker replaces Samuel Iling-Junior.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:33Substitution, Middlesbrough. Tommy Conway replaces Kelechi Iheanacho.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:33Attempt blocked. Sydie Peck (Sheffield United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Harry Clarke.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:30Jack Robinson (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:30Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Rav van den Berg.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:30Attempt blocked. Callum O'Hare (Sheffield United) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Harry Clarke.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:29Attempt blocked. Sydie Peck (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Tyrese Campbell.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:28Attempt missed. Luke Ayling (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Aidan Morris.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:28Substitution, Sheffield United. Ben Brereton replaces Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:25Callum O'Hare (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:21Attempt missed. Kelechi Iheanacho (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Hayden Hackney following a fast break.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:20Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:20Offside, Middlesbrough. Kelechi Iheanacho is caught offside.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:17Foul by Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:17Foul by Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:16Substitution, Middlesbrough. Daniel Barlaser replaces Finn Azaz.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:16Foul by Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:15Attempt saved. Harrison Burrows (Sheffield United) left footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:14Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by George Edmundson.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:11Attempt saved. Sydie Peck (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:11Foul by Samuel Iling-Junior (Middlesbrough).
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:06Attempt missed. Anel Ahmedhodzic (Sheffield United) header from the centre of the box following a corner.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:06Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Ryan Giles.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:05Second Half begins Sheffield United 1, Middlesbrough 1.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
21:05Substitution, Sheffield United. Tyrese Campbell replaces Thomas Cannon.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:50First Half ends, Sheffield United 1, Middlesbrough 1.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:47Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Harrison Burrows.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:48Attempt blocked. Samuel Iling-Junior (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Delano Burgzorg.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:46Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:45Goal! Sheffield United 1, Middlesbrough 1. Delano Burgzorg (Middlesbrough) converts the penalty with a right footed shot.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:45Michael Cooper (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:43George Edmundson (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:43Jack Robinson (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:43Penalty Middlesbrough. George Edmundson draws a foul in the penalty area.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:42Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Anel Ahmedhodzic.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:42Attempt saved. Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Delano Burgzorg.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:39Attempt missed. Callum O'Hare (Sheffield United) header from the centre of the box.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:39Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:37Foul by Thomas Cannon (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:37Delay in match because of an injury Rav van den Berg (Middlesbrough).
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:38Rav van den Berg (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:37Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:35Delay in match because of an injury Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:35Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:35Foul by Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough).
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:33Goal! Sheffield United 1, Middlesbrough 0. Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (Sheffield United) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner following a fast break.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:31Attempt missed. Kelechi Iheanacho (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from outside the box.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:31Offside, Sheffield United. Callum O'Hare is caught offside.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:29Foul by Sydie Peck (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:28Sydie Peck (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:27Sydie Peck (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:27Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Luke Ayling.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:27Sydie Peck (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:23Attempt saved. Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (Sheffield United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:22Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:20Attempt missed. Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (Sheffield United) header from the centre of the box.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:23Attempt blocked. Thomas Cannon (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:17Foul by Thomas Cannon (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:15Attempt missed. Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Vinicius Souza.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:12Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Samuel Iling-Junior.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:11Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Luke Ayling.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:09Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Luke Ayling.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:07Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Samuel Iling-Junior.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:07Attempt blocked. Harrison Burrows (Sheffield United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Gustavo Hamer.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:06Attempt saved. Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:06Attempt saved. Callum O'Hare (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:04Delano Burgzorg (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:03Attempt blocked. Kelechi Iheanacho (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
20:01First Half begins.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
19:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Sheffield United vs Middlesbrough
18:00Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
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