Rock-bottom Sheffield United face Manchester United at Bramall Lane in Saturday Night Football.
Should Burnley and Bournemouth both lose elsewhere in mid-afternoon kick-offs, victory could lift Sheffield Utd off the foot of the table into 18th position.
Man Utd meanwhile can go seventh with a win if Newcastle and Crystal Palace draw on Tyneside.
Team News
Tom Davies is ruled out for Sheffield Utd after he suffered a thigh injury in training during the international break.
Chris Basham will be sidelined with a serious ankle injury which he suffered during the Blades’ loss at Fulham a fortnight ago.
George Baldock (calf), William Osula (muscle) and Ben Osborn (groin) could face late fitness tests.
John Egan (foot), Rhys Norrington-Davies (hamstring), Max Lowe (ankle) and Daniel Jebbison (illness) are still sidelined.
Man Utd will be without Casemiro after he suffered an ankle injury during Brazil’s 1-1 draw against Venezuela in the international window.
Jonny Evans (foot), Sergio Reguilon (hamstring), Raphael Varane (knock) and Sofyan Amrabat (back) are doubtful and face late fitness tests.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (hamstring), Lisandro Martinez (foot), Luke Shaw (muscle), Kobble Mainoo (ankle), Jadon Sancho (personal), Tyrell Malacia and Amad Diallo (both knee) remain sidelined.
When is Kick-Off?
Sheffied Utd host Man Utd at Bramall Lane in a 8pm BST kick-off on Saturday 21 October, live on Sky Sports in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Sheffield Utd have won just one of their last six meetings against Man Utd (W1, D1, L4).
- Man Utd have won three of their last five league visits to Sheffield Utd (W3, D1, L1).
- Utd’s Marcus Rashford has scored three goals in his two previous visits to Sheffield Utd (W1, D1).
- No Sheffield Utd player this season has made more headed clearances than Vinicius Souza (12).
- Bruno Fernandes has been caught offside on more occasions than any other Man Utd player this season (5).
Prediction
With injury issues and four defeats in the last month, Sheffield Utd’s backs are already against the wall especially with their best central defensive pair of Basham and Egan out indefinitely, which is a major worry for the Blades given their defensive vulnerabilities.
In fact those weaknesses were brutally exposed at times by Fulham last time out whilst their attack lacked much clinical end product, which really needs to be better and more accurate if want to stand any chance here.
Man Utd though have their own injury crisis but somehow managed to beat Brentford despite having lacked creativity in their own end product until injury-time, whilst their defence were sloppy in their passes and blocks so were lucky to still be in the game come the final minutes.
On that note, Erik ten Hag’s Red Devils must surely win this game given their superior quality even without Casemiro as anything less against Sheffield Utd’s weak team will be embarrassing to put it mildly.
Prediction: Sheffield United 0-2 Manchester United
Result: Sheffield United 1-2 Manchester United
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