Meet the opposition | Sheffield United
As Swansea City get set to take on Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, we take a closer look at the Blades.
What’s their story?
A side steeped in history, Sheffield United were crowned champions of the Football League in 1899, and have won the FA Cup on four occasions - in 1899, 1902, 1915, and 1925.
After over a decade of top-flight football, they were relegated to the Championship in 2004, once again in 2007, and spent six seasons in League One before finally tasting Premier League football again in 2019.
They finished ninth in their first season back, but their second campaign ended with them finishing bottom and returning to the second tier.
They missed out on an immediate top-flight return after losing out to Nottingham Forest in the play-off semi-finals, but returned for the 2023-24 season before again being relegated back to the Championship.
How’s their form?
Strong. The Blades are unbeaten in the Championship this season.
That sequence has included four wins and three draws, and they sit sixth in the Championship table following Saturday's 0-0 draw with Portsmouth at Fratton Park.
Who’s the gaffer?
Chris Wilder. The former Sheffield United defender's playing career saw him feature for 11 clubs, including stints at Rotherham United, Bradford City and Notts County.
Having started his managerial career at Alfreton, Wilder moved on to Halifax, and achieved promotions during his stints with Oxford United, Northampton Town and Sheffield United.
It was at his hometown Blades that he secured promotion back to the Championship and then on to the Premier League, before a ninth-place top-flight finish in 2020.
He left as relegation neared the following year, and was appointed at Middlesbrough following Neil Warnock’s departure before a spell at Watford followed.
Wilder returned to Bramall Lane following Paul Heckingbottom's departure in December 2023.
Who’s the captain?
Experienced defender Jack Robinson started his career at Liverpool and made his senior debut at the age of 16, which made him the youngest player to have played in a first-team match for the club.
He enjoyed spells on loan with Wolves and Blackpool before joining QPR on a permanent deal and being loaned to Huddersfield Town on the same day, going on to make the left-back position his own for the Terriers.
The 2017-18 season saw Robinson cement his place in the QPR first team where he played out of position at centre-half.
Following 18 months at Nottingham Forest, Robinson made the switch to Bramall Lane in January 2020.
Robinson helped the club win promotion to the Premier League at the end of the 2022-23 season and ended the 2023-24 season as skipper. Despite the Blades' troubles last season, Robinson came out of the campaign with plenty of credit for his steely displays, bagging a couple of Player of the Year awards in the process.
Who are the key men?
Brazilian-born midfielder Gustavo Hamer began his career at Feyenoord after moving to the Netherlands as a child.
Following a season-long loan at Eerste Divisie club Dordrecht, Hamer joined PEC Zwolle in the Eredivisie on a permanent contract.
A move to Coventry City followed where he scored 17 goals in 123 appearances across three seasons. He netted the winning goal in the second leg of the Sky Blues' Championship play-off semi-final against Middlesbrough, whilst he also found the net in the final against Luton at Wembley.
The Netherlands youth international signed a four-year deal with the Blades in August 2023 and impressed during his first season at Bramall Lane despite the club's relegation from the Premier League. He has netted four times for the Blades already this term.
Technically-gifted midfielder Ollie Arblaster is a product of the Blades' academy, after joining the club's youth set-up at the age of six.
Following a successful loan spell at Port Vale during the first part of the 2023-24 season, Arblaster returned to Bramall Lane and impressed in 12 Premier League appearances, including on his debut against Arsenal.
He captained the Blades for the first time at Old Trafford in April this year and has netted twice this campaign.
Wales international Kieffer Moore joined United in July after a successful loan spell with Ipswich Town, where he helped the Tractor Boys reach the Premier League.
Moore started his career in non-league before joining Yeovil in 2013. The striker spent two years with the Glovers before moving to Norway, where he had a spell with Viking FK.
Moore had something of a nomadic existence as he went on to have stints with Forest Green Rovers, Torquay United, Ipswich, Rotherham United, Barnsley and Wigan Athletic before moving to Cardiff City for £2 million in August 2020.
Twenty-five goals in 64 league appearances for Cardiff attracted the interest of Bournemouth, for whom he netted nine goals in 39 league appearances.
He has also scored 13 times in 45 appearances for Wales, most recently in the 2-1 win over Montenegro in September.