Sheffield may have a marginal advantage today on the psychological front, in that they've done this dance - a full-blooded match in front of an empty house - once already. There's not telling quite how such a thing, even with piped-in noise, can affect sides and who will choke and chafe under the pressure. Newcastle will have to be sharp against the Blades.
There may have been no football on the pitch in Newcastle for the last few months but there's been no shortage of drama off it as the club continues to sit poised for a takeover.