Chris Wilder and Chris Davies have named their teams ahead of this evening's Championship fixture between Sheffield United and Birmingham City.
Just three months separated Wilder's dismissal and reappointment last year as the former Oxford United and Northampton Town boss embraced a salvage mission following Ruben Selles' disastrous tenure.
While Wilder was able to steer Sheffield United well clear of Championship relegation trouble, the Blades were never able to sustain a run of form that enabled them to threaten the top half and their campaign fizzled out into obscurity.
Without being handicapped by a substantial points deficit on this occasion, Wilder will be hoping he can maximise the tools at his disposal to lead the Blades back into the play-off conversation.
The previous campaign was a sobering experience for Birmingham City.
Davies' men were tagged as automatic promotion contenders last August, but their wretched away form undermined their entire season, with only three teams picking up fewer points on their travels in the Championship.
Davies will be eager to rectify their home sickness, and Birmingham's crop of January signings - August Priske, Jhon Solis and Carlos Vicente - could thrive after adapting to the rigours of the league last season.
Wilder makes two changes from the side that defeated Mansfield Town in the EFL Cup.
Romelle Donovan replaces Tahith Chong on the right flank, with the Curacao international dropping to the bench, while Sam McCallum comes in for Rhys Norrington-Davies at left-back.
Birmingham are unchanged from their EFL Cup victory over Swansea City.
New signing Max Bird features on the bench, while Kanya Fujimoto is included in the squad after featuring prominently in pre-season.
Sheffield United XI
Michael Cooper; Femi Seriki, Japhet Tanganga, Mark McGuinness, Sam McCallum; Romelle Donovan, Sydie Peck, Joe Rothwell, Callum O'Hare; Patrick Bamford, Tom Cannon.
Substitutes: A. Davies, Doherty, Arblaster, Burrows, Chong, Campbell, One, Baptiste, Riedewald.
Birmingham City XI
James Beadle; Bright Osayi-Samuel, Christoph Klarer, Phil Neumann, Alex Cochrane; Jhon Solis, Tomoki Iwata; Carlos Vicente, Paik Seung-ho, Jay Stansfield; August Priske.
Substitutes: Allsop, Laird, Fry, Lund, Bird, Roberts, Kanya, Gray, Vazquez.
