It’s still too soon to determine if Sheffield United has truly changed their course. Despite their hard-fought win over Wolverhampton Wanderers last Saturday, they were fortunate that Wolves missed a couple of opportunities early on. While the victory has provided a glimmer of hope at Bramall Lane and relieved some of the pressure on manager Paul Heckingbottom, the long-term outlook remains uncertain.
The Blades remain bottom, tying Burnley with four points. While Bournemouth remain on six points after being destroyed 6-1 by Manchester City. Luton Town earned a surprising point against Liverpool on Sunday, they too are on six points.
Sheffield United’s next three games
Brighton – Away
Sheffield United face Brighton this Sunday before yet another international break.
Brighton are known for their intricate and expansive style of play. However, they have leaked too many goals this season which could hamper their race for the top six.
There is a possibility that the timing of the fixture could work in Sheffield United’s favour. Not only are the Seagulls out of form, they will have limited time to recover for the weekend’s fixture as they prepare for a Europa League match against Ajax this Thursday.
Bournemouth – Home
Transforming Bramall Lane into a fortress where visiting teams dread to play is crucial for Sheffield United’s survival chances. Both Heckingbottom’s team and the Cherries have managed just one win this season. This presents a significant opportunity for Sheffield United to accumulate more points and intensify the pressure on their fellow relegation contenders.
Burnley – Away
Another pivotal match at the lower end of the table involves Burnley, who have struggled significantly at Turf Moor, marking an unfortunate record by losing their first six matches of the season. While it may not be a strict “must-win” situation, avoiding a loss is of utmost importance in their current circumstances.
Burnley’s next three games
Arsenal – Away
The Clarets travel to the Emirates and hope to do better than United’s 5-0 thumping. Considering they’ve already conceded 27, that scoreline could possibly be repeated from Arsenal’s perspective.
West Ham – Home
Burnley have struggled to compete from a physical point of view all season. Playing against West Ham will certainly test their metal at the back.
Sheffield United – Home
As mentioned earlier, this will be a huge game for Vincent Kompany’s men with them having home advantage.
Bournemouth’s next three games
Newcastle – Home
The Magpies fired eight past Sheffield United on their travels not long back. Bournemouth comes into this game off the back of a 6-1 beatdown by Man City. Could Eddie Howe’s side inflict even more damage on the Cherries on Saturday evening?
Sheffield United – Away
From a Blades point of view, by the time this game comes around they could have several players back in contention. I feel as though this game could flip the script for either of these teams.
Aston Villa – Home
Nobody should look at Aston Villa and expect points this season, however, they haven’t performed as good on their travels, that is interesting to note.
Luton Town’s next three games
Manchester United – Away
Even though the Hatters picked up a surprising point against Liverpool, their next game will be extremely tough being at Old Trafford.
Crystal Palace – Home
Palace don’t score many goals. On the flip side they don’t concede much either. This will be the type of match-up Rob Edwards will love.
Brentford – Away
Brentford can hurt teams in many different ways, but Luton could potentially frustrate the Bees in that one.
