Two minute guide to: Sheff Utd (A)
Can Port Vale bounce back from two home losses with a win on the road and a double over the Blades?
Port Vale
Manager: Rob Page
Last match: 2-3 vs Crawley
Form guide: L-L-W-L-W
Sheff Utd
Manager: Nigel Clough
Last match: 1-1 vs Walsall
Form guide: D-D-L-L-D
Team news
Carl Dickinson: a fitness doubt
The fitness of Carl Dickinson and Byron Moore will probably determine their prospects of making the starting eleven, but Rob Page must be tempted to make changes after two home defeats. It’s really anyone’s guess as to the make-up of the defence but elsewhere Tommy O’Sullivan, Ben Williamson and Achille Campion could be competing for starting places. However, one player who definitely won’t figure is AWOL striker Alex Nimely.
Sheffield United defender Chris Basham is available again after serving a suspension.
Pre-match quote
“Not many go to Walsall and get the win, Coventry now have picked up, they got a good result last week. So you look back and it looks even more of an important win for us and we’re going to take the momentum of our away form into Saturday.
– Rob Page reflects on Vale’s away form
Last time we met
Vale won 2-1 on Boxing Day thanks to goals from Ben Williamson and Dany N’Guessan (penalty).
Overall record
- Vale wins: 6
- Sheff Utd wins: 22
- Draws: 9
Trivia
Marc Richards: scored in Vale’s last away win
The Valiants last away win over Sheff Utd was in 2008 when Vale won a Carling Cup tie 2-1 thanks to two goals from Marc Richards.
The Vale’s last league away win over the Blades was back in 1999. Richard Eyre, Allen Tankard and Anthony Gardner scored and the Valiants even survived the sending-off of Dave Brammer to win 2-1.
Vale suffered their club record loss in 1892 when they went down 10-0 at home to Sheff Utd.
They played for both…
Michael Brown: set to face his former club
Veteran midfielder Michael Brown is set to play against a side for whom he made over 150 appearances between 1999 and 2004.
Manager Rob Page also spent a spell at the Blades. He made over a hundred appearances between 2001 and 2004.
Former Vale loanee Florent Cuvelier won’t face the Valiants as he in on loan at Burton.
Other players to appear for both sides include:
- Jordan Slew
- Geoff Horsfield
- Rob Kozluk
- Gary Mulligan
- Dean Glover
- Paul Beesley (right)
- Gary West
- John Connaughton
- Billy Paynter