Sheffield United are still winless but face an out of sorts Crystal Palace side as they look for a change of fortune in 2021

It’s been a miserable campaign for Chris Wilder’s Blades. 16 games played in the league and still without a win. However, with the turning of the year, they could be provided with the ideal opportunity to change their fortunes, as they begin 2021 with a trip to out of form Crystal Palace.

Roy Hodgson’s side are winless in the five games since their impressive 5-1 thrashing of West Brom, losing twice and drawing the other three outings 1-1.

Inconsistency is certainly a fair term to use to describe the 2020/21 campaign for the Eagles thus far, with their recent run a perfect example. 

Granted, they played against ten men for the majority of the game, however, the front three of Wilfred Zaha, Christian Benteke and Eberechi Eze were unplayable at the Hawthorns in early December. Zaha and Benteke both recorded braces on the day with Eze getting an assist. 

Palace fans must find it infuriating that their side can’t put on displays such as their five-star performance in the West Midlands on a regular basis. Particularly as they’ve scored three goals in the five games since, conceding 13.

A 7-0 home defeat to Liverpool is certainly the pick of the bunch. The south-London side competed well in the first-half but a clinical Reds side went into the break three goals to the good…and it was in the second half where it fell apart for the hosts.

To take points from what was an in-form Tottenham side just six days prior and then get battered, albeit by the Champions, must have left Roy Hodgson scratching his head, but the 73-year-old will certainly pinpoint Saturday’s game as the ideal opportunity to get back to winning ways.

Sat in 15th, the Eagles are eight points from the relegation zone, with 18th-placed Fulham having a game in hand on their city-rivals. They’re comfortable for now, but surely their squad is capable of more?

 

Whilst Palace will see Sheffield United as a beatable opponent, the Blades will certainly identify the game as one of their better opportunities to pick up that first win. 

The south-Yorkshire club have had no luck of late, conceding late on in games against Leicester, Brighton and Everton to deny important points. However, performances haven’t reflected those expected of a side sat at the foot of the table with two points from a possible 48. 

Scoring goals is still their main issue though, with just five goals in their last nine games. 

Granted, they’ve only been comfortably beaten by Chelsea and Southampton in that time, keeping themselves in games for long spells if not the entire match. It’s simple to say but much more complex to pull off…put the ball in the back of the net.

 Wilder may opt to use summer signing Rhian Brewster upfront on his return to his hometown city again after starting against Burnley in midweek. The 20-year-old played in a front three alongside Lys Mousset and David McGoldrick at Turf Moor, which could be deployed once again at Selhurst Park with Oli McBurnie missing  Tuesday’s game in Lancashire. 

 Zaha is the obvious threat for the hosts, fresh from a goal against Leicester on Monday. However,  Benteke has come out from the dark in recent weeks, scoring twice at West Brom and once at West Ham. At 6’2’’ the Belgian is a well-known physical threat and could put significant pressure on the Blades’ backline.

With two sides out of form looking to start their respective calendar years on a high, it proves to be a fascinating affair at Selhurst Park on Saturday. Can Crystal Palace get back on track or will Sheffield United finally record that first win of the season at the 17th time of asking?

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