Sheffield United vs. Fulham
Venue: Bramail Lane
Kick off: 12PM
Sheffield United and Fulham square off in the Premier League this afternoon still looking for their first point of the campaign.
The Blades and Cottagers occupy the bottom two places in the standings having scored just four goals between them in eight matches.
Despite the highs during their first season back in the Premier League, Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder would have always expected the second campaign to prove significantly tougher.
However, Wilder would not have envisaged his side scoring just one goal during four successive defeats, a sequence which has left the club as one of three clubs without a point to their name.
Although the setbacks have come against teams who have made significant moves in the transfer market, Wilder will be bitterly disappointed having been left with the prospect of a relegation battle so soon after almost qualifying for Europe.
The Yorkshire outfit managed to run Arsenal close in their most recent outing, but the level of the performance was still considerably below what Wilder expects from his players.
With a trip to Liverpool to follow next weekend, Wilder will be the first to acknowledge that there is added pressure to get a positive result on the board against Fulham.
Scott Parker would have felt that the international break had come at the wrong time for his side, who put in a much-improved display in the 1-0 reverse at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Nevertheless, the afternoon ended in another setback, and Parker is aware that the stakes are growing higher as he bids to remain at Craven Cottage in the long term.
Parker realistically needs to keep Aleksandar Mitrovic available for selection if the West Londoners are to get themselves out of the relegation zone, but he also requires more consistency from his backline.
The arrival of Joachim Andersen should improve Fulham’s fortunes in the middle of the defence once he is fit, but the Denmark international will require help from his teammates if the club are to make quick headway up the table.
Sheffield United possible XI: Ramsdale, Basham, Ampadu, Robinson, Baldock, Lundstram, Berge, Osborn, Stevens, McBurnie, Brewster.
Fulham possible XI: Areola, Aina, Ream, Le Marchand, Robinson, Cairney, Zambo, Anguissa, Lookman, Loftus-Cheek, Bryan, Mitrovic.