Sheffield United welcome Everton to Bramall Lane in a huge Boxing Day clash at both ends of the table in Saturday Night Football.
Victory could move Chris Wilder’s Blades closer towards safety at the foot of the table, whereas Everton could go second with a win if results elsewhere earlier in the day fall their way.
Team News
John Lundstram is suspended for Sheffield Utd’s next three matches after his red card at Brighton last Sunday.
Oli McBurnie could return after missing the Blades’ last two games with a shoulder injury but Kean Bryn (calf), Jack O’Connell (knee) and Sander Berge (hamstring) are still ruled out.
Everton could welcome James Rodriguez back from a calf injury if he passes a late fitness test.
Allan (hamstring), Lucas Digne (ankle), Jean-Phillipe Gbamin (fitness) and Fabian Delph (muscle) remain sidelined.
Stat Attack
- Sheffield Utd have taken five points from their last five league meetings against Everton (W1, D2, L2).
- Everton are unbeaten in three of four previous Premier League trips to Bramall Lane (W1, D2, L1).
- Chris Wilders’ Blades are yet to be awarded a penalty after eight previous meetings against Everton, with the Toffees scoring from both of their spot-kicks.
- Both of Yerry Mina’s two goals for Everton this season have come from headers.
- David McGoldrick is the only Sheffield Utd player to score more than one league goal this season so far, netting four goals of which two came in their last home match as they lost 3-2 to Manchester United.
- Sheffield Utd have lost one of their last five Boxing Day matches, excluding their 2015 fixture at Wigan which was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch (W3, D1, L1).
- Everton are unbeaten in their last five Boxing Day fixtures (W4, D1).
Prediction
With Lundstram suspended and Berge out injured, this is going to be a difficult test because if the Blades weren’t already often playing out from behind, they will need to do so and focus on long balls because they cannot to lose more midfielders otherwise it could be a bleak New Year.
Saying that, they did show strong resilience with ten men to take the lead at Brighton last Sunday but a momentary defensive lapse saw the Seagulls snatch a point.
Everton meanwhile have shown amazing strength to soak up pressure against the bigger quality teams in recent games and try hitting on the counter or from errors, so this match is a chance for them to show their attacking play and assert authority on a vulnerable Sheffield Utd.
I am therefore expecting goals here but both teams have strong Boxing Day form in recent years, so this might well be a tighter encounter than thought and particularly if the Blades go defensive but I reckon the Toffees should get a win somehow.
Prediction: Sheffield United 1-2 Everton
Result: Sheffield United 0-1 Everton