Match Preview: Sheffield United Vs Crystal Palace

Bramall Lane will welcome Crystal Palace as both Sheffield United and the visitors search for their first win of the 2019-2020 Premier League campaign.

For the Blades, it will be the first time since Sunday 13th May 2007 that they will host a side in the English top-flight, back then they lost 2-1 to Wigan courtesy of a David Unsworth penalty.

Last time the Sheffield outfit and the Eagles met, it ended in a 1-0 win for the London club at Selhurst Park back when the two sides were in the Championship in 2011.

The winner was scored by Palace legend Darren Ambrose, that season the Sheffield based side were relegated while London based club Palace only stayed up by six points. No one would have thought that both would be competing in the Premier League nine seasons later.

After week one, Sheffield United are ninth after drawing 1-1 away to Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth, they had to come from behind after the Cherries defender Chris Mepham scored. However, club legend Billy Sharp came off the bench to give United a point.

Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace drew 0-0 with Everton despite Morgan Schneiderlin getting sent off and meaning the Toffees were down to ten men for the final 14 minutes of the match. This means going into match week two that they are a place below the blades in tenth.

View from the Dugout:

Chris Wilder spoke about the clubs summer:

“I think we’ll grow into it, I really do. We brought quite a few new players in over the summer and they’ll get better and better as their understanding of how we do things here, how we go about things on the pitch, improves.

As we get further in, I can see us growing as a group. That’s what I’m expecting to see happen. And for good reason.”

Roy Hodgson expects his side to score more than last season:

“We think there are more goals in the team than we were able to show last year, it’s up to the players, who are our front players and goalscorers, to show that.

“I think as the season wore on we became better at scoring goals and taking our chances and I’m hoping that is going to continue and get even better this season.”

Team News

Blades boss Wilder has a fully fit team to select from and could face a selection dilemma with skipper Sharp coming off the bench and scoring their first goal of the season. If the veteran does feature he would replace Callum Robinson or David McGoldrick.

Sharp became a local hero after his 23 league goals saw the Blades promoted, however, his late equaliser against Bournemouth last weekend was his first-ever Premier League goal, he is currently the side’s top scorer.

Palace manager Hodgson will have all new signings in midfielders James McCarthy and Victor Camarasa and defender Gary Cahill available after all played for the Under 23s earlier in the week.

While defender Jeffrey Schlupp has come back from his ankle injury meaning the eagles only have two defensive options out as James Tomkins (Pelvic), Mamadou Sakho (Knee) are all currently sidelined.

Head to head

In the previous 53 meetings between the sides, Crystal Palace edge out the Blades in the win column. The Eagles have recorded 21 victories whilst Sheffield United have one less, with 20. There has also been 12 draws.