Follow live coverage as Sheffield United face Southampton in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will newly-promoted Birmingham City and Wrexham, with a host of hopefuls eyeing up the £200m jackpot that comes with promotion to the top flight. At the other end of the table, Sheffield Wednesday and Hull City hope to stay up amid crises.
Follow updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Sheffield United FC 1 - 0 Southampton FC
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:56Handball by Jay Robinson (Southampton).
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:55Shea Charles (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:55Foul by Tom Davies (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:55Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Joshua Quarshie.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:53Attempt saved. Callum O'Hare (Sheffield United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Alex McCarthy (Southampton). Assisted by Gustavo Hamer.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:53Shea Charles (Southampton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:53Foul by Shea Charles (Southampton).
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:53Foul by Ronnie Edwards (Southampton).
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:51Second Half begins Sheffield United 1, Southampton 0.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:51Substitution, Southampton. Ryan Fraser replaces Tom Fellows.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:36First Half ends, Sheffield United 1, Southampton 0.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:36Penalty missed. Adam Armstrong (Southampton) right footed shot is high and wide to the right.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:36Japhet Tanganga (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:35Penalty conceded by Michael Cooper (Sheffield United) after a foul in the penalty area.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:32Foul by Adam Armstrong (Southampton).
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:32Foul by Adam Armstrong (Southampton).
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:31Attempt saved. Ross Stewart (Southampton) header from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom right corner by Michael Cooper (Sheffield United). Assisted by Caspar Jander.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:32Attempt blocked. Adam Armstrong (Southampton) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Caspar Jander.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:36Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:31Shea Charles (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:31Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:30Delay in match because of an injury Gustavo Hamer (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:27Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Ben Mee.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:24Foul by Ryan Manning (Southampton).
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:23Ryan Manning (Southampton) is shown the yellow card.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:22Tyrese Campbell (Sheffield United) is shown the yellow card.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:22Finn Azaz (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:22Attempt blocked. Ross Stewart (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Finn Azaz.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:20Attempt saved. Ross Stewart (Southampton) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Michael Cooper (Sheffield United). Assisted by Tom Fellows with a cross.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:16Foul by Ross Stewart (Southampton).
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:15Goal! Sheffield United 1, Southampton 0. Tyrese Campbell (Sheffield United) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the right to the top left corner. Assisted by Gustavo Hamer following a fast break.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:14Nathan Wood (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:13Attempt blocked. Tyrese Campbell (Sheffield United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Callum O'Hare.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:11Offside, Southampton. Ross Stewart is caught offside.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:08Foul by Ronnie Edwards (Southampton).
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:08Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Tom Davies.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:08Shea Charles (Southampton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:08Caspar Jander (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:04Shea Charles (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:04Caspar Jander (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:01Foul by Caspar Jander (Southampton).
Sheffield United vs Southampton
19:59Offside, Sheffield United. Chiedozie Ogbene is caught offside.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
20:08Attempt saved. Ross Stewart (Southampton) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the bottom right corner by Michael Cooper (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Southampton
19:58Chiedozie Ogbene (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
19:54Foul by Tom Davies (Sheffield United).
Sheffield United vs Southampton
19:50Attempt missed. Finn Azaz (Southampton) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Tom Fellows with a cross.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
19:50Attempt missed. Finn Azaz (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Caspar Jander.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
19:49Offside, Sheffield United. Gustavo Hamer is caught offside.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
19:48Foul by Ross Stewart (Southampton).
Sheffield United vs Southampton
19:46First Half begins.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
19:15Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Sheffield United vs Southampton
17:45Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
We will have all the latest scores, goals and updates plus analysis and reaction throughout the game here. This season we're bringing you live coverage from every match in the Premier League, WSL, Championship, Carabao Cup and FA Cup from the third round onwards - as well as the best from the Champions League and beyond in Europe.
