Sheffield United will be hoping that free-scoring Billy Sharp can fire them to victory over Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow, with the Bramall Lane hero in excellent form this season.  

Sharp’s goals have helped put Chris Wilder’s side in promotion contention, with Wednesday looking for a member of their squad to find the same consistency to help them climb away from the relegation zone.

The man most likely to do that is Steven Fletcher, but he could do with some support from those around him.

In our latest FLW Duel, we move away from the leading men in attack, focusing on the two that are likely to be supporting Sharp and Fletcher for their respective teams – David McGoldrick and Atdhe Nuhiu.

McGoldrick has proved to be an excellent addition for the Blades, with the former Ipswich forward the perfect partner for Sharp at Bramall Lane.

In 16 appearances, McGoldrick has five goals and one assist, which come from an average of just 2.6 shots per game.

The 30-year-old also has a pass success rate of 75.5% so far this season, whilst winning an average of 2.3 aerial duels per game.

His form is a stark contrast to Nuhiu, who has really struggled in his 14 outings this season.

The powerful Wednesday forward has scored just one goal and is averaging 1.5 shots per game.

His pass success rate isn’t terrible, whilst he’s a threat in the air, as you would expect.

The Verdict

Many will be expecting Sharp to make the difference in the Steel City Derby, whilst if Wednesday are to spring a surprise at Bramall Lane, you’d expect Fletcher to be the man to be leading from the front.

However, the support they receive is going to be key and McGoldrick and Nuhiu will have big roles to play in the Derby – if they are selected, of course.

McGoldrick has been superb for Sharp this season, chipping in with goals and causing enough problems to take all the pressure off his captain.

Lucas Joao’s inconsistency has meant that Nuhiu has featured fairly regularly too, but he’s failing to have the impact that Jos Luhukay needs.

There’s no doubt that Wednesday and Fletcher need more from Nuhiu, who does have the capability to do what McGoldrick is doing at Bramall Lane.

Thoughts? Let us know!

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