Sheffield Wednesday are set to play out their first Steel City derby in five years.
Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United haven’t battled it since three successive 0-0 stalemates, with their final meeting coming in March 2019.
The Blades’ relegation means that the Owls will travel to Bramall Lane in just over three months, before United make the return trip to Hillsborough in the second half of the campaign.
Both teams have only managed one win apiece in their previous seven meetings, but both sets of fans continue to put on excellent show in Yorkshire.
Despite their position in the English football pyramid, Gabby Agbonlahor has now claimed that the Steel City derby is ‘feistier’ than one of England’s biggest rivalries.
Steel City Derby is ‘feistier’ than Premier League battle
When discussing the derby between Manchester United and Manchester City, the former striker said: “”It’s not a feisty derby, come on, I’m not having it.
“You know what I’m looking forward to this season? The Sheffield derby. That’s feistier than the Manchester United v Man City. I’m not saying it’s bigger, because obviously Manchester United and Manchester City, the history behind it, of course… but I’m saying feisty derby.
“I’m sure we’ll get Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday fans calling up.”
Is Gabby Agbonlahor right?
United and City are two of the biggest clubs in Europe, but when United supporters all hail the Liverpool rivalry as a bigger one, it is hard to tip it as one of the biggest derbies in the UK.
Meanwhile, both Sheffield teams just hate each other, and their lack of recent action only makes the Steel City derby bigger and bigger.
Erik ten Hag’s side have won only three of the last eleven matches against the Premier League champions, while they have also conceded three or more goals on four occasions.
The Steel City derby is a lot harder to predict, and its absence for the last five years has built up the excitement in Yorkshire massively.
It’s undeniably one of the most ‘feisty’, but because Wednesday have spent so long in the Championship and League One, many football fans and pundits won’t consider it.
Agbonlahor is often disagreed with for his controversial opinions, but this one is pretty bang on.