Sheffield United vs Blackburn: FA Cup Quarter Final – Live

Sheffield United: Foderingham; Ahmadhojic, Egan, Robinson; Baldock, Doyle, Berge, McAtee, Lowe; Ndiaye, McBurnie. Members: Davies, Bogle, Basham, Arblaster, Norwood, Coulibaly, Fleck, Jebison, Sharpe

Blackburn Rovers: Pear, Rankin-Costello, Carter, Haim, Pickering, Travis, Morton, Hedges, Szmodics, Brereton, Gallagher. Members: Kaminski, Brittain, S. Wharton, Phillips, Edun, Garrett, A. Wharton, Dolan, Leonard.

A big day for the championships, on terrestrial TV, those of us dedicated to Don Goodman and Andy Hinchcliffe, David Prutton and Michelle Owens in the studio melodiously, with the added bonus of Lee Hendrick’s suits. Both teams have much bigger fish to fry in the EFL, with the Blades in second but Middlesbrough’s hot breath down their necks. Rovers meanwhile were grateful to Neil Warnock’s Huddersfield yesterday and kept their foot in sixth place, and a play-off chance.

Now despite Blackburn’s golden era of the 1990s, the Blades have a more recent history than Rovers for FA Cup distractions. United reached the semi-finals losing to Hull in 2013-14, Arsenal in 2002-3 and Sheffield Wednesday in 1992-3 in front of Alan Kirk’s beard. Rovers last reached the semi-finals in 2004-5, when they lost to Arsenal under Mark Hughes as manager. The last time before that was in 1960, Brian Douglas and all, when they lost the final to Wolves.

All that history aside, both managers, Paul Heckingbottom and John-Dahl Thomasson, are likely to reshuffle their pack. The Blades did just that against Tottenham in the previous round and that really stuck in the crowed of Antonio Conte, who mentioned it as part of his rant at Southampton yesterday.

Either way, a visit to Wembley is on the line for two of English football’s oldest clubs.

It will start at 12 noon UK time. come with me