Albion v Sheffield United
PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: The American Express Community Stadium
Date: Saturday 21st December 2019
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Referee: Robert Jones
Assistants: Stuart Burt, Simon Bennett
Fourth official: Keith Stroud
VAR: Michael Oliver
Assistant VAR: Neil Davies
TEAM NEWS
Brighton forward Aaron Connolly is fit to return and Dale Stephens is available after serving a suspension.
The Seagulls' only absentees are Solly March and Jose Izquierdo because of respective groin and knee injuries.
Sheffield United midfielder John Fleck is serving a one-match ban for accumulating five bookings. Luke Freeman or Mo Besic may deputise.
Manager Chris Wilder reports no fresh injures and is boosted by Callum Robinson's return after illness.
MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES
Tony Husband: A year ago, Graham Potter and Chris Wilder were managing Championship clubs and, in what might be a sign of a renaissance of British managers in the Premier League, both are prospering after stepping up.
Wilder's steered the Blades into the Premier League and has emboldened most of the squad which got promoted with the belief they too can achieve at the higher level.
If they can make it nine top-flight away games without defeat they will match Burnley's record for a promoted club, set 72 years ago.
Potter has kept faith with most of the squad he inherited from Chris Hughton, but in Neal Maupay and Leandro Trossard, Albion have added a cutting edge and the Amex fans are lapping up the football. I'm hoping the first top-flight meeting between this pair doesn't disappoint.
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
Graham Potter on Sheffield United: "I saw them last year in the Championship and I understood how hard it is to play against them. If you have that collective understanding and belief, along with confidence in each other, then I think you can go a long way and achieve fantastic results.
"It's nice for the Premier League that a side can come up from the league below and do so well. Perhaps people were looking at them as the whipping boys of the division and to go back down, but football isn't as simple as that."
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder on Brighton's Neal Maupay: "We had discussions with Neal in the summer. There were quite a few clubs in the same pond. We wanted to improve at the top of the pitch and he was a player we knew a lot about with his exploits at Brentford. We looked at him and he was a possibility but players make their choices and he chose to sign for Brighton.
"It was a good signing for them and they're a powerful football club. I know a little bit about them too, from a period I had there as a player."
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
[*=left]This is the first top-flight fixture between the sides.
[*=left]Their most recent encounter was a 3-1 Championship win for Sheffield United in January 2006.
[*=left]Sheffield United have lost only one of the past eight meetings (W5, D2).
[*=left]The Blades are unbeaten on their last four visits to Brighton (W2, D2).
[*=left]Brighton are unbeaten in three successive league games for the first time since January.
[*=left]They have won only one of seven matches against the sides currently occupying the top eight places (D1, L5).
[*=left]Five of the Seagulls' eight home league fixtures have been goalless at half-time.
[*=left]Albion have won just three of 12 Premier League fixtures against promoted sides (D4, L5).
[*=left]Neal Maupay has scored in three successive league appearances, which is as many as in his previous 13 games.
[*=left]Maupay is only the second Seagulls player to score in three successive Premier League fixtures, after Glenn Murray in November 2017.
[*=left]Sheffield United are looking to become just the second promoted team in English top-flight history to remain unbeaten in their opening nine away matches, emulating Burnley in 1947-48.
[*=left]They are on a club league record run of 17 unbeaten away fixtures since a 1-0 defeat at Graham Potter's then-Swansea side in January (W6, D11).
[*=left]The Blades could record three consecutive Premier League victories for the first time since August 1993.
[*=left]Sheffield United have lost just one of their past 10 league games (W4, D5).
[*=left]A league-high five of United's goals have been scored by substitutes. Brighton are next on the list with four.
