Preston North End will be looking to blunt the Blades on Saturday and return to winning ways after suffering a disappointing result against Plymouth in midweek.

Alan Irvine has the difficult task of preparing his side for a trip to Bramall Lane to take on Sheffield United on Saturday after seeing his side thwarted in their attempts to build on the win against Reading.

A Rory Fallon goal for the Pilgrims in the 18th minute was enough to sink North End at Home Park in midweek meaning that Preston now have just one win in their last six matches.

Sheffield United have the disappointment of being without a win in their last two having lost to Wednesday in the Steel City derby at the weekend and firing a blank at home to Southampton on Tuesday.

Kevin Blackwell knows all about beating North End after Leeds United’s play-off win in 2006 and so will be looking for something similar from his players at the weekend.

With Preston having recorded just one away win all season and the Blades currently being unbeaten at home, the match may seem like a foregone conclusion to the neutral. However, with Neil Mellor champing at the bit and Stephen Elliott hitting form there is no doubt that the Lilywhites can cause problems for Kevin Blackwell’s side.

The corresponding fixture last season resulted in a 1-1 draw after James Beattie netted an 80th minute equaliser after Darren Carter had put the visitors ahead.

A repeat of that result shouldn’t leave Alan Irvine too disappointed. Nor would he if Preston could mirror the performance of that when Sheffield United visited Deepdale in March. Neil Mellor netted a brace after Callum Davidson put North End ahead from the penalty spot.

It is doubtful that the Scottish international will have the chance to fire another spot kick past Paddy Kenny as the full back is not deemed fit enough for the weekend, neither is Richard Chaplow or Chris Brown. There shouldn’t be too much of a contrast in the starting eleven that lost against Plymouth due to Alan Irvine’s threadbare squad.

The Blades will have to do without the services of former Leeds United centre half, Matthew Kilgallon as he has two more games remaining of his three game ban.

North End manager Alan Irvine felt his side were hard done by on Tuesday night saying: “I think we deserved something, we had plenty of the game from both halves but we probably lacked that bit of quality and that is what cost us in the end.

"We had the majority of the game, there’s no question about that but we didn’t pass well enough at times.”