[Albion] Brighton & Hove Albion vs Sheffield United *** Official Match Thread ***

[Dick Head]

Albion v Sheffield United

PREMIER LEAGUE

Venue: The American Express Stadium
Date: Sunday 12th November 2023
Kick-off: 14:00 GMT
Referee: John Brooks
Assistants: Simon Bennett, Lee Betts
Fourth Official: Andy Madley
VAR: Chris Kavanagh
Additional VAR: Marc Perry
​

TEAM NEWS

Brighton are set to be without Pervis Estupinan, Lewis Dunk and James Milner, who all sustained injuries against Ajax on Thursday.

Julio Enciso, Tariq Lamptey, Solly March and Danny Welbeck remain out.

Sheffield United's extensive injury list could be eased by the return of Anel Ahmedhodzic and Oli McBurnie.

However, Rhian Brewster has joined Chris Basham, Tom Davies, John Egan, Daniel Jebbison, Max Lowe and Rhys Norrington-Davies on the sidelines.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Brighton have only won one of the 12 most recent league meetings, and none of the last six since they beat the Blades at Bramall Lane in the Championship in January 2005.
• Albion's only victory in their past nine home matches against Sheffield United in all competitions was by 2-0 in the second tier in May 1987.
• The Blades are unbeaten in their four Premier League games against Brighton, scoring one goal each time.

Albion

• Brighton are without a win in five league matches, the joint longest run in the top flight along with Luton.
• They have never gone six games without a league win under Roberto de Zerbi.
• The Seagulls can equal the Premier League record for a team both scoring and conceding in the most consecutive matches: 16, set by Everton from September 2012 to January 2013.
• They have scored in 27 successive league games since a 1-0 home defeat by Fulham in February.
• Fifteen league games without a clean sheet is their longest run since October 1996.
• Evan Ferguson's 10 Premier League goals in 2023 is the most by a teenager in a calendar year since Wayne Rooney scored 11 for Manchester United in 2005.

Sheffield United

• Sheffield United have been defeated in nine of their 11 league fixtures this campaign. No team has lost 10 of the opening 12 matches of a top-flight season and avoided relegation.
• The Blades are aiming to win consecutive top-flight games for the first time since July 2020.
• They have lost 23 of their last 26 Premier League away fixtures, including 10 out of 11 under Paul Heckingbottom.
• The last side to lose their first six away games of a Premier League season were the Blades themselves in 2020-21 under Chris Wilder.
• The 30 league goals they have conceded is the most after 11 games of a top-flight season since West Bromwich Albion let in 32 in 1985-86.

Roberto De Zerbi's Sheffield United Press Conference

 

[Mortdecai]

 

[jcdenton08]

Through to the next round this morning lads, expect our name in the hat by lunchtime. No excuses.

 

[Eeyore]

Oh, it's here. I can go to bed now.

 

[OzMike]

I will be asleep for this one and expect to wake to find 3 more points on the board and us moving one position up the table.

 

[jakarta]

Horrid injury list...

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

It's got nil-all written all over it

 

[Dick Head]

These are a good side.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

These are injured like us

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

These are injured like us

Sounds like we might have to set up a field hospital just outside the ground in case.

 

[Beach Hut]

So excited

 

[Perfidious Albion]

Our injury list is brutal..... and we played on Thursday, not the best preparation. But they have injuries too and they’re bottom of the league ( dare I say ?) knowing us it is certainly not a foregone conclusion it we have to hope to win.. We need three points to stay in contention and maybe a breather in the international break - if our players are not jetting round the world for their country...

 

[Mackenzie]

Samuels at left back? It’s a big ask for the youngster but he made the bench at Newcastle and I thought he looked one of the better players at FGR on Tuesday.

 

[GT49er]

These are a good side.

These are not a good side - but these are the sort of side who often seem to scuff a 1-0 win against the run of play when playing us.

 

[Dick Head]

So excited

were loose

 

[Chicken Run]

To put it simply

 

[Greg Bobkin]

This game could be season-defining.

 

[Swegulls]

Just win it!

 

[Greenbag50]

Expect a100% shithouse performance from them today. 10 across the 18 yard box for 90 mins and hoof it when given a chance.
Will not be pretty, but we have to win

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Gone are the days of 32 shots (4 on target) compared to an opponent’s zero, and us finding a way to loose 0-1. I reckon we might stuff them.

Apologies for cursing us if happens!