Brighton vs Sheffield United
Date: 20/12/20
K/O: 12.00
Venue: Amex Stadium
Referee: Peter Bankes
Brighton host Sheffield United on Sunday lunch time in yet another huge game in the relegation battle.
After being held to a draw by fellow strugglers Fulham at Craven Cottage in midweek, the Seagulls have another six pointer against winless Sheffield United. The Blades come into Sunday’s fixture on the back of an improved performance against Manchester United, which ultimately ended in defeat. Their 3-2 loss at Bramall Lane on Thursday evening means they have taken just one point from their first 13 Premier League matches. This is the worst start in English top flight history.
However, if this season has provided us with anything, it has been unpredictability. Nine of Sheffield United’s 12 losses have been by a solitary goal, showing that the South Yorkshire club can still compete with most clubs in the league. However, it is time they turned losses into draws and draws into victories if they are to claw their way up the table. Currently, Chris Wilder’s charges are nine points adrift of safety, and Sunday’s trip to the Amex provides the ideal opportunity to reduce that gap.
Their opponents for Sunday’s trip have also disappointed this campaign. Brighton have picked up good results against the likes of Liverpool but have failed to beat their main relegation rivals. On all four occasions they have had to settle for a share of the spoils against Fulham, Burnley and West Brom, all of whom are involved in the relegation dogfight. Graham Potter will know that turning some of these draws into wins over the course of the season will help massively as they look to move away from the relegation zone.
In these fixtures last season, both were close affairs with the Blades winning 1-0 at the Amex last December before being eld to a 1-1 draw at Bramall Lane. However, this Sheffield United side looks a shadow of their former selves, despite having kept a very similar squad and formation. The old football cliché second season syndrome seems to have hit Chris Wilder’s players badly.
Team News
Graham Potter will be without long term absentee Florin Andone, while Jose Izuierdo is also set to miss out. Injury-prone Adam Lallana completed 85 minutes during the Seagulls’ draw at Fulham on Wednesday, with Neal Maupay pushing for a start in place of Danny Welbeck. In between the sticks, May Ryan’s Brighton future is in doubt. The Australian stopper was dropped for their midweek game and looks set to remain on the bench for Sunday’s fixture. Robert Sanchez is Potter’s preferred choice in goal.
For the Blades, Jack O’Connell and Sander Berge are set to miss out this weekend. The Norwegian midfielder looks to have picked up a serious hamstring injury. Some positive news for Wilder is the potential return of Oli McBurnie up front. The striker looks likely to recover from a shoulder injury.
Predicted Starting XIs
Brighton: Sanchez; Veltman, Dunk, Webster; Lamptey, White, Bissouma, March; Gross; Welbeck, Maupay.
Sheffield United: Ramsdale; Basham, Egan, Robinson; Baldock, Lundstram, Ampadu, Fleck, Stevens; Burke, McGoldrick.
Score Prediction: Brighton 2-1 Sheffield United
While Sheffield United have shown they are capable of producing decent performances, they haven’t been able to scrape as many as Brighton have this campaign. Even when they aren’t playing well, picking up the odd point here and there helps massively on the quest to avoid the drop. Brighton’s starting XI and its ability belies its current league position, and I expect them to move up the table with a positive result on Sunday.
