Champions League contenders clash at Old Trafford

Football returns to Old Trafford on Wednesday night as fifth place Manchester United welcome surprise European contenders Sheffield United, in a hotly anticipated match that could go a long way to determining the fate of both sides’ seasons.

Where they stand

The Red Devils are unbeaten in 12 matches in all competitions (8-4-0), scoring 30 goals and keeping nine clean sheets in the process, since losing 2-0 at home to Burnley in late January.

They returned to action with a deserved point versus Tottenham, after an impressive second half showing, and will come into this match full of confidence.

Manchester United have suffered just two league defeats at Old Trafford this season and haven’t lost at home to Sheffield United since boxing day of 1973.

A win for Manchester United would see them move within two points of fourth place Chelsea, at least temporarily, and continue their momentum ahead of a kind fixture list to finish the season, compared to their rivals for European places.

Chris Wilder’s seventh placed visitors have had a remarkable return to the Premier League so far, but have stuttered with just one point in two games since their return to action.

The Blades were denied a clear, potentially winning goal at Villa Park by the infamous goal line technology malfunction though and only fell behind in their last outing, against Newcastle, following defender John Egan’s second yellow card.

A return to winning ways on Wednesday night would see Sheffield leapfrog their hosts and potentially go fifth, depending on Wolves’ result.

That is currently a Champions League qualification place this season, pending Manchester City’s European ban appeal to UEFA.

The reverse fixture between the two Uniteds back at Bramall Lane in November was a thrilling 3-3 draw.

Sheffield led 2-0 going into the closing stages, but three goals in seven minutes saw Manchester edge ahead with 11 minutes to play, before record signing Ollie McBurnie smashed home an equaliser in the last minute.

Team News

Defenders Phil Jones, Victor Lindelöf and Axel Tuanzebe are all potential absentees for Manchester United, with slight knocks and a busy schedule.

The talismanic midfield duo of Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes could start together for the first time, whilst Mason Greenwood, Eric Bailly, Nemanja Matic and Odion Igahlo will all be pushing for more game time after coming off the bench against Spurs.

The visitors, meanwhile, will have Simon Moore in goal in place of Dean Henderson, as the future England goalkeeper is on loan from Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s side.

Egan is suspended after his dismissal on Sunday, whilst Jack O’Connell (knee), Phil Jagielka (ankle) and David McGoldrick (knee) are doubts.

But John Lundstram should return to the starting XI and Dutch forward Richairo Zivkovic could come in to make a first start, with matches coming thick and fast.

Managers

On returning to an empty home, Solskjær said: “We love walking out at Old Trafford. It’s a different experience [on Wednesday]but we have the urge to get back and start winning games.

“It’s a different way of playing and is a different mental challenge. It might be more relaxing for some but it’s very different.

“Maybe when you’re at home and you’re struggling, you struggle with the home fans on your back.

“But we’ll miss out on the fans because I’ve never heard more supportive fans. It’s more difficult to play at Old Trafford without fans than with them.”

United’s manager has also backed under-fire goalkeeper David De Gea, following his failure to keep out Tottenham’s goal on Friday.

He added: “David is the best goalkeeper in the world. He’s only conceded two goals in his last seven games for us.

“He still makes match-winning saves, he’s been consistently working hard in training and he’s mentally strong. I’m really happy with his work.”

Chris Wilder was full of confidence ahead of his team’s trip to Old Trafford, despite the 3-0 weekend defeat at Newcastle.

The Blades’ boss said: “I want to win regardless of who we’re playing. When we played Liverpool I didn’t think, ‘I Just hope it’s 3-0 and we’ll walk away’.

“When we went to play Man City home and away, I didn’t look at that and go, ‘boys, I’m not being funny about this – we have got absolutely no chance of getting a result, because they’ve spent a billion pounds’.

”I went to get a result and that has to be consistent and will be the same against Manchester United.

“They [the players]accepted the result a bit too easy for me [against Newcastle on Sunday], so they understand my feelings.

“We have to shake ourselves up a bit and get ourselves back up to performances that have produced good results this season.”