Manchester United are back in Premier League action on Wednesday night as they welcome relegation favourites Sheffield United to Old Trafford.
The Red Devils advanced into their second consecutive FA Cup final on Sunday, but it was hard to find a United supporter that was particularly enamoured by the club’s achievement. Erik ten Hag’s side, who raced into a 3-0 lead, were incredibly fortunate to bypass second-tier outfit Coventry at Wembley.
Their collapse in the capital – despite their eventual triumph on penalties – depicted a club struggling to move forward with this manager and current crop of players.
And with the Premier League unlikely to have five teams competing in the Champions League next season, their hopes of competing in Europe’s premier club competition are as good as over. United are currently 16 points adrift of fourth-place Aston Villa having played two games fewer.
Still, they’ll be expected to overcome a Sheffield Utd side that are winless since February 10 and will likely return to the Championship next season. Back-to-back defeats to Brentford and Burnley have all but consigned Chris Wilder’s men to the drop.
Here’s 90min’s preview of Wednesday’s Premier League clash.
Man Utd vs Sheffield Utd H2H record (Last Five Games)
Current form (all competitions)
|
Man Utd |
Sheffield Utd |
|---|---|
|
Coventry 3-3 (2-4p) Man Utd – 21/04/24 |
Sheffield Utd 1-4 Burnley – 20/04/24 |
|
Bournemouth 2-2 Man Utd – 13/04/24 |
Brentford 2-0 Sheffield Utd – 13/04/24 |
|
Man Utd 2-2 Liverpool – 07/04/24 |
Sheffield Utd 2-2 Chelsea – 07/04/24 |
|
Chelsea 4-3 Man Utd – 04/04/24 |
Liverpool 3-1 Sheffield Utd – 04/04/24 |
|
Brentford 1-1 Man Utd – 30/03/24 |
Sheffield Utd 3-3 Fulham – 30/03/24 |
|
Country |
TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
|
United Kingdom |
N/A |
|
United States |
Peacock |
|
Canada |
fuboTV |
United‘s long list of defensive absences meant Casemiro had to deputise at centre-back on Sunday, and the Brazilian will likely continue in that role against the Blades as Ten Hag could once again be without Willy Kambwala, Victor Lindelof, Raphael Varane, Jonny Evans and Lisandro Martinez.
Left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are long-term absentees, while Anthony Martial may not feature again this season.
Marcus Rashford and Scott McTominay will be assessed ahead of Wednesday’s game.
Man Utd predicted lineup vs Sheffield Utd (4-2-3-1): Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Casemiro, Maguire, Dalot; Eriksen, Mainoo; Antony, Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund.
The visitors also have a long list of absentees for Wednesday’s game.
Wilder won’t be able to call upon Tom Davies, Max Lowe, John Egan, George Baldock and Chris Basham on Wednesday. Starting centre-back Jack Robinson is also a doubt with an ankle injury.
Rhian Brewster and Daniel Jebbison are unlikely to feature.
Sheffield Utd predicted lineup vs Man Utd (4-3-3): Grbic; Bogle, Ahmedhodzic, Trusty, Osborn; Souza, Arblaster, Hamer; McAtee, McBurnie, Diaz.
You can never trust this United side, and they’ll undoubtedly surrender chances to a Sheffield United team that are as good as down. However, they have to win on Wednesday night.
The ill feeling surrounding the club despite reaching another FA Cup final is quite remarkable, and the atmosphere inside the Theatre of Dreams could turn toxic should the Blades have some joy in midweek.
Ten Hag’s outfit are so tactically chaotic that we should expect goals at both ends, with United’s defensive absences only exacerbating the space they surrender in midfield. However, the visitors are playing with no confidence and, having surrendered four goals to Burnley on Sunday, it’s hard to envisage them shutting out United at Old Trafford.
Prediction: Man Utd 3-1 Sheffield Utd
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