Sheffield United vs. Everton
Venue: Bramail Lane
Kick off: 9PM
Sheffield United’s search for their first Premier League win of the season will continue tonight when they welcome high-flying Everton to Bramall Lane.
The Blades are currently bottom of the table with just two points to show from their first 14 matches of the 2020-21 campaign, while Everton sit fourth, just five points behind league leaders Liverpool.
There is no getting away from the fact that it has been a disastrous start to the season for Sheffield United, who have only picked up two points from their opening 14 Premier League games to sit rock bottom.
The Blades have scored just eight times in their 14 fixtures, conceding 25, and they are 10 points from the safety of 17th position, which is a huge concern heading into the festive period.
There have been signs of encouragement in recent games, though, with Chris Wilder’s side impressing in a 3-2 loss to Manchester United on December 17 before picking up a point away at Brighton & Hove Albion last time out.
Sheffield United came close to picking up all three points at the Amex, but Seagulls striker Danny Welbeck levelled the scores at 1-1 in the 87th minute of the contest.
The Blades recorded a 2-0 victory when they travelled to Goodison Park last season but suffered a 1-0 loss to the Merseyside giants when the pair last locked horns at Bramall Lane in July.
Everton, meanwhile, will enter Saturday’s contest off the back of a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup on Wednesday night.
The Toffees were disappointing against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, but a run of three straight Premier League wins has seen Carlo Ancelotti’s team rise into fourth position in the table.
Everton are unbeaten in England’s top flight since the end of November, and the recent victories over Chelsea, Leicester City and Arsenal is an indication of their improvement this term.
The Merseyside giants will be looking to put a fourth straight league win on the board ahead of a home game against Manchester City on December 28, and there is certainly a chance that they could end 2020 in second spot in the table, which would be some achievement.
Ancelotti’s side have won four of their seven away Premier League matches this season, suffering two defeats in the process, while they have picked up seven points from their last three games away from Goodison Park.
Sheffield United possible XI: Ramsdale, Basham, Egan, Robinson, Baldock, Osborn, Ampadu, Fleck, Stevens, Brewster, McGoldrick.
Everton possible XI: Pickford, Holgate, Mina, Keane, Godfrey, Doucoure, Davies, Iwobi, Sigurdsson, Bernard, Calvert-Lewin.