In search of their first Premier League victory, Sheffield United is set to face West Ham United at the London Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
In midweek, West Ham secured a 1-0 win against Lincoln City in the EFL Cup, while the Blades suffered a humiliating 8-0 defeat against Newcastle United.
Match Preview:
Lincoln City had previously eliminated Sheffield United from the EFL Cup, providing West Ham with a tough challenge in their recent encounter.
However, Lukasz Fabianski’s outstanding performance prevented Lincoln from finding the net multiple times.
Finally, after 70 minutes, West Ham managed to break the deadlock with Tomas Soucek’s goal from a corner.
Their victory sends them to the fourth round, where they will face London rivals Arsenal.
West Ham has been successful in rectifying their Premier League shortcomings with significant wins in knockout competitions.
Despite losses to Liverpool and Manchester City, they have shown resilience.
They currently sit in seventh place and also have a Europa League fixture against Freiburg next Thursday.
West Ham recorded their first clean sheet of the season in the midweek match against Lincoln City.
They have scored in all eight of their competitive fixtures so far.
However, Sheffield United fans are reminded of the dreadful 8-0 defeat they suffered last week.
Sheffield United, having been eliminated from the EFL Cup by Lincoln, had ample time to analyze their devastating loss to Newcastle.
The defeat marked their worst-ever home defeat in league football. With just one point from six Premier League matches, they sit at the bottom of the table.
Sheffield United coach Paul Heckingbottom is currently facing speculation about his future.
However, for now, his job appears to be safe as he tries to orchestrate a revival.
Sheffield United’s away record has been poor since the COVID-19 shutdown, winning only two Premier League games on the road.
They have lost 10 of their last 11 top-flight games away from home.
Given their recent history against West Ham, with the Hammers winning both encounters in the 2020-21 season, the Blades face a challenging task.
Team News:
West Ham’s Aaron Cresswell continues to recover from a hamstring injury.
Other than him, David Moyes will have a full squad available for selection.
Emerson Palmieri is expected to deputize for Cresswell at left-back.
Sheffield United has several injured players, including Max Lowe, Ben Osborn, Rhian Brewster, and Rhys Norrington-Davies.
Daniel Jebbison remains unavailable due to an unspecified health concern.
However, John Fleck has returned to training after recovering from a broken leg. Oli McBurnie will be back from suspension and could feature.
Possible Starting Lineups:
West Ham United:
Areola;
Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson;
Soucek, Alvarez;
Bowen, Ward-Prowse, Benrahma;
Antonio
Sheffield United:
Foderingham;
Ahmedhodzic, Basham, Egan;
Baldock, Souza, Norwood, Hamer, Larouci;
Archer, McBurnie
Prediction:
We predict a 3-0 victory for West Ham United over Sheffield United.
Despite the Blades’ recent heavy defeat, it is unlikely to be replicated.
However, West Ham’s strong lineup and the uncertainty surrounding Sheffield United’s manager will likely result in another disappointing day for the visitors.
