English Premier League Soccer - Newcastle United vs. Sheffield United, 6/21/20 - Preview, Prediction & Odds

Ruing their unjust fate during Wednesday's scoreless draw at Aston Villa, 6th-placed Sheffield United will try to get back on track while paying a visit to 14th-placed Newcastle United, who are unbeaten in their last three games in all comps. Kick-off - at 9:00 AM ET on Sunday, June 21.

Newcastle Deliver Points

The calendar year of 2020 has been quite kind for Newcastle United thus far, with the team having dropped just three decisions in all competitions, going W4 D7 L2 after losing 3-0 at home against Leicester City on New Year’s Day. Since Jan. 1, the Magpies have gone unbeaten on own turf (W2 D3), with both subsequent defeats coming in away matches at Arsenal and Crystal Palace in the Premier League. Newcastle are entering the revised campaign on the back of a three-game unbeaten run in all comps (W2 D1) and currently sit 14th in the league (W9 D8 L12), eight points above the drop-zone.

English midfielder Jonjo Shelvey leads Newcastle with five goals, but hasn’t found the back of the net for six consecutive Premier League fixtures. Goalie Martin Dubravka, meanwhile, sits at the top of the league with 117 saves. The Slovakian has picked up nine clean sheets in 29 contests this season and concedes a goal every 64 minutes on average. The Magpies have scored the absolute lowest number of goals this year (25) while taking the 4th lowest quantity of shots per game (10.3). The team is bottom of the league in ball possession (40.8%) and 4th from the bottom in passing accuracy (74.2%).

Sheffield United Get Robbed

Sheffield United’s unbeaten run in the Premier League extended to five consecutive games (W3 D2) after the team played out a goalless draw with Aston Villa away at Villa Park on Wednesday. The hosts looked the hungrier team, outshooting the Blades 14-5, but it was the South Yorkshire club left most dissatisfied with the outcome after the ball following Oliver Norwood’s curling free-kick crossed the line in the arms of Aston Villa’s keeper, only for the strike not to be given because of a mistake in the Goal Decision System. Sheffield United sit 6th in the league with a W11 D11 L7 record, trailing the top-four by four points.

Scottish midfielder John Fleck and French striker Lys Mousset leads the Blades with five Premier League snipes each. Goalie Dean Henderson, meanwhile, is 12th in the league in saves, having stopped 76 shots thus far this year. He has a league-high 11 clean sheets alongside Burnley’s Nick Pope and allows a goal every 115 minutes of play. Sheffield United have netted the 15th highest quantity of goals this season (30), while delivering the 2nd lowest amount of shots per game (10). The team is 4th from the bottom in ball possession (45.1%) and 5th worst in passing accuracy (74.4%).

Prediction

Even though Newcastle have dominated this series lately, winning nine of the last 12 meetings with Sheffield United in all competitions (W9 D1 L2), this one is as unpredictable a game as they come. With both teams being quite reliable defensively lately (Newcastle have not allowed a goal in three straight home games; Sheffield United have the 2nd best defensive record in the whole league!), a single snipe can go each team’s way. So, better stick with the maximum of a single snipe scored in this fixture and a half-time draw. Out of seven contests already played since the Premier League restart, five have already ended on 0-0 terms after the first 45 minutes of play, so...

Best bets:

Draw after first half (+100)

Under 1.5 goals (+160)