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

[Dick Head]

Sheffield United v Albion

PREMIER LEAGUE

Venue: Bramall Lane
Date: Sunday 18th February 2024
Kick-off: 14:00 GMT
Referee: Stuart Attwell
Assistants: Neil Davies, Steven Meredith
Fourth Official: Anthony Taylor
VAR: Michael Oliver
Additional VAR: Mark Scholes
​

TEAM NEWS

Sheffield United should welcome back a host of players, with George Baldock, Gustavo Hamer and goalkeeper Ivo Grbic likely to be in contention.

Oli McBurnie and Ben Brereton Diaz may also return, with the latter missing last week's win at Luton because of a hamstring strain.

Brighton are boosted by the return of Simon Adingra after his successful Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

However, top scorer Joao Pedro is still sidelined with a hamstring issue.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Sheffield United are unbeaten in their past seven league clashes with Brighton, winning four and drawing three.
• The Seagulls are winless in all five Premier League meetings, drawing three and losing two.
• However, Albion triumphed 5-2 at Bramall Lane in the FA Cup fourth round last month.

Sheffield United

• Sheffield United are vying to win consecutive Premier League games for the first time since Chris Wilder's first spell in charge in July 2020.
• United could remain winless in their opening four competitive home fixtures of a calendar year for the first time since 2011.
• The Blades have conceded a league-high 31 goals in their 12 top-flight home games this season.
• They've have faced 88 shots on target in those 12 matches at an average of 7.3 per game, the most of any Premier League side in the past 20 years.
• Chris Wilder's side have let in 60 Premier League goals this term, the most by a top-flight side at this stage of a season since Ipswich Town conceded 68 in 1963-64.
• Oli McBurnie has scored in each of his last four Premier League appearances at home.

Albion

• Brighton have gone six Premier League away games without a victory, drawing two and losing four.
• The Seagulls have registered just one win in their past six top-flight matches against sides in the bottom three, drawing two and losing three.
• Albion have won just five of their 18 Premier League away games against promoted sides (D5, L8), losing 4-0 at Luton in their only clash with a promoted team this season.
• Evan Ferguson has failed to score in any of his last 14 appearances in all competitions.
• Pascal Gross has two goals and seven assists in his last 11 Premier League starts.

Roberto De Zerbi's Sheffield United Press Conference

 

[Mortdecai]

 

[Eeyore]

Thank the Lord, I can go to bed now.

 

[jcdenton08]

Through to the next round here lads, no excuses.

 

[B-right-on]

Just need a repeat of the game a few weeks ago please buys. Not asking too much.

 

[BadFish]

I think it would be prudent to win this game.

Do it.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

It's got nil-all written all over it

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Leaving shortly, so excited.

 

[dstanman]

Another long trip north. Need to take advantage of yesterdays results and a win put us back in the European places.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

This next game could be season-defining.

 

[Ooh it’s a corner]

Just flown into Bham - driving from there a bit later - Seagguullsss!

 

[dazzer6666]

Probably going to miss this completely, outside chance of getting a bit of the second half on TV perhaps. Good opportunity to keep the 'target' well within reach. Please don't **** it up lads

 

[Beach Hut]

So excited

 

[Clive Walker]

Let’s see plenty of personality

 

[Perfidious Albion]

Tough away fixture, and you know how well we perform against bottom sides.......
After the drubbing we gave them in the cup they are going to be super defensive. It won’t be pretty.
Still we have players that can unlock defences, even without Pedro. A narrow victory will do nicely.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Let’s hope the match officials have packed extra sandwiches for full-time.

 

[dadams2k11]

Got a bad feeling about this for some reason.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Got a bad feeling about this for some reason.

Be positive. We have Fati and Mitoma back. Adingra is back from Alcon but didn’t train on Friday so unlikely to play.

 

[chaileyjem]

Be positive. We have Fati and Mitoma back. Adingra is back from Alcon but didn’t train on Friday so unlikely to play.

He trained yesterday and RDZ said he was available - after being given “extra” time off and hinted heavily he was looking fwd to Mitoma and Adingra on the wings again.

 

[Guinness Boy]

We simply need to take our chances. It was obvious from the cup game that they simply can’t defend. We’ll have over 20 shots I reckon but (and yes, this is stating the obvious) will only get three points if we’re successful with at least three of them.