Both looking to build on positive results before the international break, Sheffield United and Fulham square off at Craven Cottage in Saturday's Premier League affair.
The Blades came away from Bournemouth's turf with a praiseworthy 2-2 draw three weeks ago, before the Cottagers hit a lacklustre Tottenham Hotspur for three without reply.
Match preview
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While a swift return to the Championship appears inevitable for Chris Wilder's basement Blades, this weekend's hosts silenced the Vitality Stadium on March 9, where Gustavo Hamer and Jack Robinson propelled Sheffield United into an unexpected 2-0 lead versus Bournemouth.
The travelling crowd would have likely accepted a point if it were offered to them before kickoff, but this one left a particularly bitter taste in the mouth, as Dango Ouattara's majestic leap and header cut the deficit in half before the wide man turned provider for Enes Unal to snatch a draw for the Cherries.
As creditable as Sheffield United's efforts were on the South Coast, the grim reality of the situation remains the same for the Premier League's worst-performing side, who remain rooted to the foot of the division with a paltry 14 points and are eight adrift of safety.
The Blades can take a small slice of solace from the fact that they have a game in hand on their demotion rivals, and the eight-point gap to Luton Town in 17th is not entirely insurmountable, but few are holding out hope of Wilder's troops pulling off the latest great escape from the drop zone.
Twenty-four goals scored and 74 conceded represent the worst Premier League metrics of their kind in 2023-24, and home has certainly not been where the heart is for Sheffield United, who have set an unwanted English league record by shipping at least five goals in each of their last four Bramall Lane battles in all tournaments.
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Brighton & Hove Albion, Aston Villa and Arsenal have all had their way with the Blades on Sheffield soil in recent months, and Fulham ought to arrive in South Yorkshire confident of prolonging Wilder's home woes if their Tottenham trouncing is anything to go by.
Aided by arguably Spurs' worst performance of the Ange Postecoglou era so far, Fulham blew their London rivals to smithereens through a Rodrigo Muniz brace - his sixth and seventh goals from his last eight Premier League matches - either side of a Sasa Lukic finish, thereby sinking Tottenham at Craven Cottage for the second time this season following their EFL Cup shootout success.
That three-goal crushing two weeks ago marked a fourth win from six matches for the eye-catching Cottagers, who should enjoy a relatively simple cruise to the Premier League finish line as they reside in 12th position, just two points off a place in the top half and six further back of the European places.
A continental charge is therefore not out of the question, but Marco Silva's men have played at least one more match than most of the teams around them and head to Bramall Lane with just one win to show from their last 13 top-flight away games, although that did come at Manchester United's Old Trafford headquarters.
Silva's troops also ran out convincing 3-1 winners when Sheffield United paid a visit to Craven Cottage earlier this season, and victory at Bramall Lane this weekend would see Fulham do the top-flight double over the Blades for the first time in their history.
Team News
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Following the four-goal thriller with Bournemouth, Wilder expressed hope that both Cameron Archer (calf) and Anis Ben Slimane (thigh) would be back for the visit of Fulham - the latter was not called up to the Tunisia squad as he focuses on his rehabilitation.
However, Chris Basham (ankle), John Egan (ankle), Max Lowe (ankle), Rhys Norrington-Davies (thigh), Rhian Brewster (thigh) and Daniel Jebbison (illness) are all out of contention, and George Baldock is touch and go after hurting his calf while representing Greece.
Having only suffered a late capitulation in the final 20 minutes of the clash with Bournemouth, Wilder should see no reason to make significant starting lineup alterations, although Anel Ahmedhodzic might be a straight swap for the doubtful Baldock at the back.
While Sheffield United have eight concerns to work around for the return of Premier League football, Fulham are only dealing with one fitness question mark, although it is a significant one as Muniz was forced off just past the hour mark against Tottenham.
Silva confirmed that Muniz had felt tightness in his hamstring, but his withdrawal was more precautionary than anything else, and he is expected to be fine to take his place in the Cottagers' XI at Bramall Lane.
As a result, Silva ought to field an untouched team from their exceptional derby win over Tottenham, as Lukic fends off Tom Cairney and Harrison Reed to partner Joao Palhinha on account of scoring his first Premier League goal last time out.
Sheffield United possible starting lineup:
Grbic; Ahmedhodzic, Robinson, Trusty; Bogle, Souza, Hamer, Arblaster, Osborn; Brereton Diaz, McBurnie
Fulham possible starting lineup:
Leno; Castagne, Adarabioyo, Bassey, Robinson; Palhinha, Lukic; Iwobi, Pereira, Willian; Muniz
We say: Sheffield United 0-2 Fulham
The first international break of 2024 certainly came at a better time for Sheffield United as opposed to a Fulham side riding the crest of a wave, but the Blades' recent home failures make for incredibly worrying reading, and their defensive concerns remain alive and well.
Fulham's exploits on their travels have left much to be desired throughout the season too, but with seven-goal hitman Muniz fit and firing, we have faith in the visitors to emerge victorious and accelerate their hosts' return to the Championship.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
