Leyton Orient defender Nicky Hunt is hoping his side can pull of a cup shock when they visit Brammall Lane on Sunday. The O’s sit second bottom of League Two following their 2-0 defeat to Crewe last weekend but Hunt is relishing the trip to face the Blades.

• Only won one of their last 10 games in all competitions – 22/10/16 3-1 win at Hartlepool

Orient’s defeat to Crewe was their seventh defeat in eight home games with Hunt describing it to leytonorient.com as “the same old story at the minute, our home form is not up to scratch at all”.

• League Record – P15 W4 D3 L8  F16  A20
• Form (most recent first) – LWLLLDLLLDW

Goals from George Cooper and Harry Davis saw Orient move to their lowest league position in 13 years with Hunt stating “it is massively frustrating, we know we are letting down people at the moment, letting the chairman down, the fans down. We don’t want to do that, we have to rectify it on the training ground”.

• Orient have only taken five point from a possible 27 since 4th September
• The Worse in League Two

Orient will be glad for the game away from Brisbane Road, 80% of their league points have been accumulated on their travels this season with Hunt stating “we are a totally different team away from home at times”.

• Away Record (all comps) – P8 W3 D3 L2  F11 A10
• Scored at least twice in 2 of their 8 away games

Midfielder Michael Collins made his debut for Orient on Saturday after signing on a three month deal and acknowledges that his side need to better in the final third. His side enjoyed large spells of possession without testing the Crewe keeper, Collins stated to leytonorient.com “it is alright having possession, but we have got to be dangerous and penetrative with it. I think we played some nice football without really hurting them” .

• Kept only two clean sheets in 18 games this season
• Failed to keep one in their last four
• Only kept one in last 14 games in all competitions
• Only kept one clean sheet in eight away games this season

Alberto Cavasin was happy with how his side played for the opening 20 minutes last weekend but highlighted that you don’t win games in that period. Speaking post match to leytonorient.com “we caused very little concern to our opponents, even in our spell we failed to create chances”.

• Failed to score in six of their last nine matches
• But scored in six of their eight away matches
• Only scored five goals in their last eight league games
• Only Grimsby (3) have scored less in League Two

It was back to square one after failing to back up a win at Hartlepool against Crewe but Cavasin has faith in his players that they can respond “it will be a test of character, but we have faith in them, the group has the ability to do well. We have many matches ahead of us and we have to move on; we know it is up to us to turn it around”.

• 11 of their 16 goals scored have been in the second half – including their last 6 and eight of their last 10
• Have conceded the joint most goals in league two in the second half (14)
• 19/25 goals conceded in all competitions have been in the second half
• Orient have only led for 38 minutes in their last 810 minutes of football
• 6 out of their 9 defeats have been by just 1 goal

With Orient going into the game as underdogs, Collins knows that the onus is on Sheffield United on Sunday, “they are from a higher division, we will go there with the pressure slightly off. We will try and give a good account of ourselves with whatever side the gaffer picks to put a performance in”.

• Orient have lost their last three away games in the FA Cup
• Failed to reach the third round in the last two seasons
• Have failed to score in their last three away FA Cup games
• Last scored away in the FA Cup in 2013 in a 1-1 draw with Hull

Hunt is enjoying is football at Brisbane Road but knows that it is never nice losing matches however the defender is relishing another FA Cup game “I love playing in the cup, it gives you an extra edge at times, there is always an incentive to it”. But, Hunt is aware that his side need to start well at Brammall Lane “they are flying high in the league, there will be a big crowd and anything can happen on the day. We are hoping to cause an upset, if you get some chances in the first 20 minutes the crowd could turn on them”.

• Record scoring first – W3 D2  (away W2 D2)
• Have not scored first in their last nine games – last Carlisle away 10/09/16
• Have won 13 of their last 15 scoring first
• Only lost one of their last 21 scoring first
• Record Conceding first – W1 L8
• Their win at Hartlepool in their last away game, was there first win coming from behind in 18 games

Sheffield United head into Sunday on the back of an 11 match unbeaten run in the league. Their latest result was a 2-1 home victory over MK Dons thanks to goals from Stephen Scougall and Billy Sharp. The Blades are one of the in form teams in the football league, losing just one of their last 12 games in all competitions. 

• Sit 4th in League One, just three points off second place
• Home League Record – P7 W5 D1 L1  F11 A6

Why not check out Sheffield United – The Inside Look

Manager Chris Wilder was pleased with the result against the Dons “it was a tough game, a tough day but a great result for us. The result was better than the performance” speaking to sufc.co.uk post match. Wilder moved from Northampton in the summer but acknowledged “there is still more to come from us, I am sure we will play better”

• League Record – P15 W8 D4 L3 F26 A18
• 3rd highest scorers in League One
• Only lost one of their last 13 game in all competitions
• Unbeaten in League since 2-1 defeat to Oxford, 20/08/16  – W8 D3
• Only Plymouth (29) and Newcastle (28) have taken more points in that period in the football league

Wilder enjoyed a tough start with four defeats in their opening five matches in all competitions but his side have hit form and are climbing the table. The former Cobblers boss is keen for his side to continue the Blades recent good form in the FA Cup, where the have reached at least the third round in their last five seasons.

• Kept two clean sheets in their last six
• Kept five clean sheets in 18 games  – 4 of them at home
• Kept four clean sheets in 10 home games this season
• Kept three clean sheets in their last five home games
• Only conceded twice in the second half at home this season

Speaking ahead of Sunday match to sufc.co.uk “it is an important competition for us, one we like to do well in and have done well in the past”. Wilder knows what progression in the competition can bring to the club “all sort of bonuses come, the recognition with the spotlight on the club that we all want. The financial reward getting through to the third round like last year when they faced Manchester United”

• Both teams have scored in their last two and four of their last six
• Only failed to score in three of their 18 games
• Won their last five league games at home
• 17 of their 26 league goals have been scored in the second half – only Bristol Rovers (20) have scored more in league 1
• 14 of their 26 of their goals scored have been in the last 30 minutes of games – the most in League 1
• United have gained 11 points in that period, most in League 1

Wilder is aware of the history that the Blades have had in the FA Cup has is keen for his side to be in the hat come January, “over the past 20-25 years this club has had some fantastic runs. We want to continue that, we would be delighted if we were in the hat in January, it must be the target for every League One and League Two club”.

• United have won their last four FA Cup games at home
• All four of those wins they kept a clean sheet
• There has been at least three goals in eight of their last 11 games
• Billy Sharp top scorer with 10 goals – only 3 at home – scored five in his last three games

The Blades boss played for Orient back in 1992 and is a club that he knows well “it has been a difficult time for their supporters with a change in ownership to a foreign owner, they are a famous old club. Everyone connected with the club will be disappointed with how things have gone over the last 12-18 months”. Despite the division between the two “they have some decent players and we will give them respect. They haven’t got anything to lose, we’ve got everything to lose”

• Record scoring first – W6 D2  (home W4)
• United are unbeaten in their last 22 games scoring first – W17 D5
• Won 10 of their last 11 at home scoring first
• Only lost one of their last 36 games scoring first – W27 D8 L1

The break from the league can give Wilder the option of rotating his squad with him stating “whatever team we put out,we will expect a performance from whoever plays. It gives an opportunity for a couple of players to play if we have got injuries and other players to keep bang in form. We have got a team learning how to win and one that wants to win; that won’t change”.

• Record conceding first – W2 D2 L3 (Home W1 D1 L1)
• Only won two of their last 30 conceding first 
• Only won one of their last 11 home games conceding first – W1 D2 L8

Team News

Orient are hopeful that defender Aron Pollock and striker Paul McCallum will return for the trip to Brammall Lane while Yvan Erichot still remains out. Harry Cornick is still sidelined with a groin injury while Liam Kelly is Orient’s long term absentee. Michael Collins is pushing for a starting spot after making his debut last week.

Cavasin on team “We are certainly taking the competitions seriously and against Sheffield United we will start with the strongest possible line-up” leytonorient.com

Sheffield United will be without striker Matty Done who remains out with a broken jaw suffered against Bradford. Caolan Lavery could partner Billy Sharp in attack while Stephen Scougall looks set to keep his place after a goal and assist against MK Dons. Ethan Ebanks-Landell will be unavailable after Wolves failed to give permission for him to play while fellow loanees Harry Chapman and Daniel Lafferty are able to play.

Head to Head – Leyton Orient 9, Draw 11, Sheffield United 14

Last meeting – 25/04/16 – Leyton Orient 1-1 Sheffield United

• The last two meetings have ended in score draws
• Five of the last six meetings have ended as draw – four have been score draws
• The last three matches at Brammall Lane have ended all square
• Orient have not beaten Sheffield United since 1983, a run of 11 games
• Last win was a 2-0 win at home in 1983
• Orient last won at Brammall Lane in 1978, in a 2-1 win
• Only two of the last 11 meetings have been won by the home side
• Orient and Sheffield United have met once before in the FA Cup, 2009 Orient 1-4 Sheffield United

Prediction – Sheffield United 3-1 Leyton Orient