Follow live coverage as Sheffield United face Preston North End 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 - 0 Preston North End FC
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:58Match ends, Sheffield United 1, Preston North End 0.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:54Second Half ends, Sheffield United 1, Preston North End 0.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:53Hamza Choudhury (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:53Lewis Gibson (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:52Foul by Lewis Gibson (Preston North End).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:55Jack Robinson (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:53Attempt blocked. Lewis Gibson (Preston North End) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:52Foul by Femi Seriki (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:50Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:50Foul by Femi Seriki (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:50Fourth official has announced 5 minutes of added time.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:50Foul by Sam McCallum (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:50Substitution, Sheffield United. Rob Holding replaces Callum O'Hare.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:46Foul by Ryan Ledson (Preston North End).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:47Harrison Burrows (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:46Foul by Harrison Burrows (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:45Foul by Callum O'Hare (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:45Attempt saved. Ched Evans (Preston North End) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Brad Potts.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:45Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:45Delay in match because of an injury Sam Greenwood (Preston North End).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:42Attempt saved. Ryan Ledson (Preston North End) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:45Attempt blocked. Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (Sheffield United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Anel Ahmedhodzic.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:40Sydie Peck (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:39Attempt saved. Sam Greenwood (Preston North End) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Andrew Hughes.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:39Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:39Substitution, Sheffield United. Sam McCallum replaces Gustavo Hamer.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:38Delay in match (Preston North End).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
17:06Delay in match (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:32Substitution, Preston North End. Ched Evans replaces Robert Brady.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:32Substitution, Preston North End. Benjamin Whiteman replaces Stefán Thórdarson.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:32Substitution, Preston North End. Andrew Hughes replaces Will Keane.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:30Foul by Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:28Sam Greenwood (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:28Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:27Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Femi Seriki.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:26Substitution, Preston North End. Ryan Ledson replaces Ryan Porteous.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:26Hand ball by Hamza Choudhury (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:26Thomas Cannon (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:26Substitution, Sheffield United. Thomas Cannon replaces Tyrese Campbell.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:25Substitution, Sheffield United. Jesurun Rak-Sakyi replaces Ben Brereton.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:22Foul by Emil Riis (Preston North End).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:58Offside, Sheffield United. Jack Robinson is caught offside.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:19Ryan Porteous (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:19Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:37Attempt missed. Sam Greenwood (Preston North End) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a corner.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:19Attempt blocked. Sam Greenwood (Preston North End) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Stefán Thórdarson.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:19Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Hamza Choudhury.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:16Goal! Sheffield United 1, Preston North End 0. Tyrese Campbell (Sheffield United) header from the left side of the six yard box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Harrison Burrows with a cross.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:15Sam Greenwood (Preston North End) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box. Assisted by Robert Brady.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:12Foul by Callum O'Hare (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:10Hand ball by Emil Riis (Preston North End).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:10Foul by Femi Seriki (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:10Attempt saved. Ben Brereton (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:09Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Freddie Woodman.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:08Callum O'Hare (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:03Second Half begins Sheffield United 0, Preston North End 0.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
16:03Substitution, Sheffield United. Femi Seriki replaces Vinicius Souza.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:51First Half ends, Sheffield United 0, Preston North End 0.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:51Foul by Vinicius Souza (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:51Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Robert Brady.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:47Fourth official has announced 2 minutes of added time.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:43Attempt saved. Harrison Burrows (Sheffield United) left footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:43Harrison Burrows (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:43Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Liam Lindsay.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:43Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Liam Lindsay.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:49Attempt blocked. Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United) left footed shot from more than 35 yards is blocked.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:43Tyrese Campbell (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:41Attempt missed. Lewis Gibson (Preston North End) left footed shot from the left side of the box following a set piece situation.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:37Foul by Tyrese Campbell (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:35Attempt blocked. Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:35Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Lewis Gibson.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:33Foul by Jack Robinson (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:33Stefán Thórdarson (Preston North End) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:33Sydie Peck (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:33Attempt missed. Ryan Porteous (Preston North End) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Brad Potts with a cross following a corner.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:29Corner, Preston North End. Conceded by Anel Ahmedhodzic.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:28Offside, Sheffield United. Anel Ahmedhodzic is caught offside.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:24Attempt missed. Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:24Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:24Delay in match because of an injury Freddie Woodman (Preston North End).
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:21Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Kaine Kesler-Hayden.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:21Offside, Sheffield United. Ben Brereton is caught offside.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:20Attempt saved. Tyrese Campbell (Sheffield United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Gustavo Hamer with a through ball.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:14Attempt missed. Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Tyrese Campbell following a corner.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:13Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Robert Brady.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:09Liam Lindsay (Preston North End) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:09Jack Robinson (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:06Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:04Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Ryan Porteous.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:04Attempt missed. Tyrese Campbell (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:05Attempt missed. Ben Brereton (Sheffield United) right footed shot from more than 35 yards.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:01Offside, Sheffield United. Tyrese Campbell is caught offside.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
15:01First Half begins.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Sheffield United vs Preston North End
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