English Premier League Soccer - Manchester United vs. Sheffield United, 6/24/20 - Preview, Prediction & Odds
Trying to extend their unbeaten run to 13 games in all competitions, 5th-placed Manchester United will be hosting 7th-placed Sheffield United, who have failed to win any of their first two outings since the Premier League restart. Kick-off - at 13:00 PM ET on Wednesday, June 24.
Red Devils Extend Unbeaten Streak
The first game back from the coronavirus lockdown gave Manchester United a point, extending the team’s unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 outings (W8 D4) following a 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur away at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Friday. The hosts scored first midway through the opening half, only for Paul Pogba’s introduction in the 63rd minute to change the game in the Red Devils' favor, with the influential Frenchman winning a penalty at the end of the game, subsequently converted by Bruno Fernandes. The draw leaves Manchester United 5th in the league (W12 D10 L8), on level points with 6th-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers, five points off 4th-placed Chelsea.
Two Manchester United players are on double digits for goals in the Premier League, with Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial having bagged 14 and 11 strikes respectively. Goalie David De Gea, meanwhile, sits 12th in the league with 78 saves. He has recorded eight clean sheets in 30 appearances this year and gives up a goal every 87 minutes on average. The Red Devils are 6th in most goals scored this season (45), 4th in most shots delivered per game (14.7), 7th in ball possession (53.5%), and 5th in passing accuracy (82.4%).
Blades Lose At Newcastle
Sheffield United’s hopes of earning a spot in the Champions League next season suffered a blow after the team failed to win its second consecutive game since the Premier League restart (D1 L1), following up last Wednesday’s goalless draw at Aston Villa with a 3-0 road defeat to Newcastle United at St. James’ Park on Sunday. The Blades dominated in ball possession (54%), but were outshot 12-7 and allowed three unanswered second-half goals after defender John Egan got his marching orders in the 50th minute due to a second yellow card. Sheffield United now sit 7th in the league (W11 D11 L8), trailing Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers for the 5th place by two points.
Scottish midfielder John Fleck and French forward Lys Mousset both lead the Blades with five league snipes each. With No. 1 goalie Dean Henderson unable to face his parent club Manchester United, second-stringer Simon Moore will make his second start of the season after stopping two shots and allowing three goals in the reverse fixture, which finished with a 3-3 draw in Sheffield in November. The South Yorkshire club is 15th in most goals scored this year (30), 2nd from the bottom in shots taken per game (9.9) and 16th in both ball possession (45.4%) and passing accuracy (74.8%).
Prediction
Manchester United have not lost a game against Sheffield United since the Blades bagged a 2-1 victory versus the Red Devils in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup in February 1993. Since then, United have gone W7 D1 against the South Yorkshire side in all competitions, banking six clean sheets along the way. And another positive result is definitely in the cards here! Don’t expect a lot of goals, though! Even though Sheffield United will be playing without Manchester United loanee Dean Henderson, with the goalie ineligible to play against his parent team, the Blades still hold the second-best defensive record in the league with just 28 goals against. Besides, they have already failed to score in any of their two contests since the Premier League restart, with the Red Devils also looking quite rusty on the offensive end in their previous matchup against Tottenham.
Best bets:
Manchester United to win to nil (+105)
Under 2.5 goals (-130)