Championship Clash: Analysing Stoke City vs. Sheffield Utd – Key Stats and Tactical Insights

A detailed analysis of the England Championship match between Stoke City and Sheffield Utd reveals crucial performance indicators. Sheffield Utd demonstrates a superior attacking conversion rate, achieving 14.8% compared to Stoke City's 12.3%. The xG efficiency also favours Sheffield Utd, with 1.12 per 90 minutes, significantly higher than Stoke City's 0.85. Sheffield Utd's passing data showcases a 76% success rate in key passes, outperforming Stoke City's 65%. They also have a notable 18% advantage in the value of passes within the final 30 meters. In terms of midfield control, Sheffield Utd averages 54 ball recoveries, converting into attacks at a rate of 2.3 times per minute, superior to Stoke City's 47 recoveries and 1.9 attacks per minute. Sheffield Utd's players average 112km/h in total running distance, with 19 high-intensity sprints per player, exceeding Stoke City's figures. Defensively, Sheffield Utd averages 14.3 interceptions (3rd in the Championship) and 21.6 successful tackles (5th). While they have fewer clearances compared to their opponent, their success rate is 12 percentage points higher. Offensively, Sheffield Utd converts 32% of their golden chances, superior to Stoke City's 24%. The expected goals (xG) comparison shows Sheffield Utd at 2.1 versus Stoke City's 1.6, with a data model indicating a 58.7% probability of an away win. Tactically, Sheffield Utd's high pressing strategy leads to a 17% error rate for Stoke City, while their own error rate is only 9%.