Sheffield United vs Newcastle match preview: Will the Blades cut the Magpies down to size?

Posted on December 4th, 2019 | 2 Comments |

Bramall Lane
Will the Blades chop the Magpies down to size?
Time: Thursday 5th December 2019, 7:30 PM,
Place: Bramall Lane, Sheffield,
TV: Amazon Prime.

After an excellent and somewhat unexpected draw against champions Man City last Saturday, Steve Bruce and the lads travel to Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane on Thursday evening to face Chris Wilder’s Blades on their home turf. For a newly promoted team Sheffield United have done well to be be in the top half of the Premier League without a star studded team, the South Yorkshire side have been a bit like a Geoffrey Boycott of football this season, generally unspectacular but stubborn, obstinate and hard to beat.

Meanwhile with the Magpies, despite some decent recent form, the big problem which has kept them in the bottom half and frequently flirting with the bottom three has been obvious and ongoing. With an almost total lack of goals from our star attacking players, Joelinton and Almiron (one solitary goal this season between them), everything has been left to the defenders and midfielders and the team have been highly reliant on set pieces to score.

Statistics and form

Sheffield United are draw specialists (half of their 14 Premier League games have been draws), tough to beat (only 3 losses like Man City and Arsenal) and tough to score against (only 13 goals conceeded against Newcastle’s 22).

Even though they are hardly prolific when it comes to goals (17 in 14 PL games), the Blades are still well ahead of Newcastle (13). Even so, like Newcastle, Sheffield only have only managed four wins so far this season.

Steve Bruce and the team can be satified overall with the Magpies’ last five games (Won 2, Drawn 2, Lost 1), meanwhile, the South Yorkshire draw specialists managed four draws and a win.

Looking at Newcastle’s away form in the Premier League, they have taken 2 victories from 7 games with no draws and 5 defeats. Sheffield United’s home form is rather better and they belie my picture of them as the stubborn draw specialists above with 3 wins in 7 games, only 1 draw with 3 defeats.

Looking at the betting, Sheffield United are favourites to win this match at 17/20, with Newcastle at 18/5 for a win with a draw 23/10. If Casinos are more your thing however, you can also check out Casino UK for the best online casino guide in the UK.

Injuries.

Newcastle United.

Matt Ritchie should be out for the rest of the year and Florian Lejeune is a serious doubt, Allan Saint-Maximin is also a doubt for this game after picking up a knock in the previous Man City game with Christian Atsu as the most likely replacement. Geordie injury magnet Andy Carroll will also be a doubt, as will DeAndre Yedlin as he tries to shake off a hip injury.

In his press conference, Magpie Manager Steve Bruce also hinted that he might make more changes too when he said: “I’m already thinking of changes. That’s something I also believe we will have to do in January because of the amount of games we have to play.”

Sheffield United.

It seems that Blades manager Chris Wilder is blessed with a fit squad with little or no injury concerns for this game.

NUFCBlog Author: workyticket workyticket has written 1092 articles on this blog.

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2 Responses

  1. Worky Been awhile since I’ve be on here isn’t it ‘dark dusty and covered in cobwebs’. I remember when it was buzzing with lots of different topics and loads of people commenting. Having just ventured back I find the other blogs the same too.
    I can’t complain I have totally given up on ‘Ashley’s Toon’ and am sorry to say that goes for four generations of my family who are now lost forever (all good things come to an end I suppose). Most of my family have now left this country anyway or are planning too, even at my age I’m being pressured to join them. I’m holding back at the moment in the forlorn hope that Jeremy and the first real socialist party in years can wake this country up. Not much hope I fear with Brexit and the loss of Scottish votes to the SNP. It looks like sunshine may win the day in the end and I’ll be off.
    I would like to wish the Toon luck but I’m torn as this would only prolong the agony
    I will wish you Hugh and your families a very good Xmas and the happiest of New Years

  2. Nutmag! I’ve been missing you (and Chuck) and it’s really great to hear from you again. Aye, the site definitely picked up some cobwebs. There have been lots of other things to deal with in my life recently but I must admit I also have the same problem as you, a lack of inspiration when it comes to Newcastle United.

    On the subject of politics at the moment, it reminds me that famous novel written by Labour MP Chris Mullin called ‘A Very British Coup’ about what might happen if a real Socialist MP became Prime Minister. It was subsequently adapted into a popular TV series starring Ray McAnnaly which was very good indeed. It is well worth a watch if you haven’t seen it already? If Corbyn wins despite all the stuff they have thrown at him, it won’t end there. The current investigation of the Labour Party for anti semitism by the EHRC will be a stitch up as there are members of the EHRC who have been at the forefront of the campaign to destroy Corbyn for his alleged ‘anti semitism’ for years. Here’s an example from a lawyer called Adam Wagner who works with the EHRC. It is a complete abuse of legal impartiality and conflict of interest.

    Thank you Nutmag, I really hope that you and yours have a very nice Christmas too!