Bristol City vs Sheffield United: Two Championship play-off betting tips

Written by: Adam Drury

Play-off season is upon us, the most dramatic period of the EFL season.

Bristol City and Sheffield United kick things off in the Championship on Thursday evening and Adam Drury (@Adam_Drury1) – fresh off four winners from four selections this week – is on hand with 13/10 and 7/1 selections for the game.

Back against goals

Amazingly, no Championship play-off semi-final first leg has gone over 3.5 goals since the 2006/07 season, when West Brom beat Wolves 3-2.

That’s 34 consecutive matches in which this bet has won, so – while it’s a very short price in isolation – we will back under that line in the safer of the two bets.

The two matches between these teams this season have finished 2-1 and 1-1, while this goals line has only been passed in one of Sheffield United’s last 12 matches.

Bristol City matches have featured more goals, but the first leg of a play-off tie is not the time to open up and I’m more than happy to trust such strong historical numbers.

Under 2.5 is usually a winner in first legs, too, so we’ll take that for the bigger price.

Go unders on the cards

Similarly, we’ll take our chances by backing unders on the card line.

Under 4.5 cards was a winner in both of last season’s first legs, with players on both sides unwilling to take risks that could see them pick up suspensions for the rest of the play-off campaign.

That line has also been a winner in five of Sheffield United’s last six matches and in six of Bristol City’s last eight.

It would also have landed in both of the meetings between these sides this season, too.

We’ll take under 3.5 for the bigger price, punting along the lines that neither team needs to go for the jugular in this first leg.

Gustavo Hamer shots

Visiting midfielder Gustavo Hamer has failed to have a shot in just four of his last 32 Championship appearances, so we have few worries about backing him to take another – even if it is an uneventful game.

That run includes seven efforts on goal in his last three matches – at least two in each – while he had four in the league fixture between these sides at Ashton Gate.

Hamer scooped the Championship Player of the Season award last week and can justify that by being one of the Blades’ main goal threats across this tie.

We’ll back over 0.5 for the one-point bet and over 1.5 for the longer price.

Hamza Choudhury tackles

Hamza Choudhury is a throwback midfielder in the sense that he just loves to get stuck in.

The ex-Leicester man has made a tackle in 14 of his last 16 Championship matches, including all of his last nine, and has at least doubled that tally in 11 of them.

He has posted four, three and three in his last three matches, so we’re very comfortable taking the over 0.5 line for the short price and over 1.5 for the bigger one.

Adam Drury's recommended bets for Bristol City vs Sheffield United

1pt - Under 3.5 goals, under 4.5 cards, Hamer to take a shot and Choudhury to make a tackle - 13/10 (Bet365)

0.5pt - Under 2.5 goals, under 3.5 cards, Hamer to take 2+ shots and Choudhury to take 2+ tackles - 7/1 (Bet365)

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