Tottenham Hotspur will be looking forward to regaining their momentum in the Premier League when they face Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
In spite of a fascinating start to the 2020/21 Premier League campaign, Tottenham Hotspur’s aspirations in recent weeks have encountered a few blows, and they will be desperate to overcome this short phase of depression on Sunday when they face off Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
After an impressive performance against Leeds United in the league, which was followed by cup wins against Brentford and Marine, Tottenham looked set to kick on. But an incoherent approach meant they had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Fulham last time out. Jose Mourinho and his men had to face severe criticism from their supporters, as well as pundits, who have shown no mercy towards them.
Mourinho’s defensive-minded philosophy may have worked in the early stages of the league campaign but after a series of rough rides in current weeks, his side seems to have lost their path. However, Tottenham’s strength lies in their manager’s dexterity whose brilliance has often outwitted his opponents, and he would want to showcase that superiority against the Blades.
Speaking of Sheffield United, they were finally able to end their tormenting drought as they outplayed Newcastle United to grab their very first victory of the league campaign earlier this week -their first win since last July. The South Yorkshire team’s inability to get away from their miseries have been haunting them throughout this run and they will be aiming to prevent Tottenham from causing them any further damage.
The last time these two teams faced each other in the Premier League was back in July 2020 at Bramall Lane, where the Blades picked up a 3-1 victory. Here at The Hard Tackle, we will take a closer look at these two sides ahead of this crucial clash in the Premier League this weekend.
Team News & Tactics
Sheffield United
Throughout this campaign, Chris Wilder has been constantly facing injury woes, but as for now, he can breathe a sigh of relief as few of his players could return. Oli McBurnie is back in contention for Sunday’s clash while George Baldock and Enda Stevens, who were among the absentees against Newcastle, are expected to be available too.
Jack O’Connell (knee) and Sander Berge (toe) are among those names too who have not made any positive progress yet. The Blades in their league campaign have been hammered by their opponents’ in most scenarios, but Wilder’s 3-5-2 formation certainly worked against Newcastle and there will not be any alterations on the basis of their previous victory.
22-year-old Aaron Ramsdale, who has been a constant starter since arriving in the summer, is likely to retain his spot between the sticks. Ethan Ampadu, who had a stellar game against Newcastle, should be securing the backline along with John Egan and Chris Basham.
Jayden Bogle will slot in as the right-sided wing-back and Ben Osborn should start from the left. John Fleck’s ability to command the midfield region along with John Lundstram could cause problems to Tottenham as they look to provide an extra edge. Oliver Norwood’s role to curtail the opponent’s threats from the middle of the park will certainly play a key role for the Blades.
Upfront, David McGoldrick and Oliver Burke will be the forwards, although the manager also has the option of going in with Rhian Brewster who is still searching for his first goal in Sheffield colours.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Ramsdale; Basham, Egan, Ampadu; Bogle, Lundstram, Norwood, Fleck, Osborn; McGoldrick, Burke
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur will head into this fixture with the mindset of making a formidable statement. The North London side will only be missing 24-year-old Giovani Lo Celso who still needs time to recover from a hamstring injury. After an indolent approach against Fulham, Jose Mourinho’s men will desire to showcase their potential at full-strength and establish themselves in the top-four race.
Mourinho will once again look to set his team up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, but there will surely be certain adjustments that are needed after such a sloppy performance against the Cottagers.
The ever-present figure of Hugo Lloris will feature in goal, while Mourinho could introduce Belgian international, Toby Alderweireld alongside Eric Dier at the heart of the defence. Sergio Reguilon, who delivered an engrossing performance against Fulham, will drop to the bench, with Ben Davies starting at left-back, while Serge Aurier will keep his place on the right side.
Moussa Sissoko should start in central midfield along with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, which will provide stability in the middle. French international, Tanguy Ndombele will yet again serve the No.10 role. He is likely to be joined by the entrusted figure of Son Heung-min, and Lucas Moura in the wide areas.
In spite of scoring the only goal against Fulham in the previous game, Tottenham’s talisman, Harry Kane will be intending to add more goals to his tally.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld, Dier, Davies; Hojbjerg, Sissoko; Moura, Ndombele, Son; Kane
Betting Odds
Favourable Tips
1. Tottenham to win @ 1.60
Hot Ones
1. Tottenham to WIN to NIL @ 2.60
Key Stats
- Both sides have met a total of 92 times, with Sheffield United winning 29 games compared to Tottenham’s 36.
- Sheffield United have managed to keep just one clean sheet in their last eighteen Premier League fixtures which came in their latest fixture against Newcastle United.
- Tottenham, in their last six league games, have managed to win just once (D2 L3).
- Harry Kane remains the only player in the league who has grabbed the unique feat of hitting the double digits for both scoring and assisting so far this season (Goals 11 Assists 11).
- Sheffield United have won each of their last two games (against Bristol Rovers in the 3rd round of FA Cup, against Newcastle United in the Premier League) and will be aiming for a third straight victory.
Player to Watch
Harry Kane
In Harry Kane, Jose Mourinho has certainly found the man who possesses the quality to rattle the defensive unit of opponents at any moment of the game. Throughout his Tottenham career, the 27-year-old Englishman has been playing the role of linchpin and has stepped up a notch in the ongoing campaign.
Kane’s ability to read the game and find openings upfront along with his telepathic understanding with partner Son Heung-min has been one of the major highlights of this season. The Lilywhites’ driving force, Kane has belted 11 goals and with staggering 11 assists, he is dictating the attacking approach upfront.
Having found the back of the net against Fulham, the England captain will be eager to continue his goal-scoring run against the South Yorkshire team on Sunday and lead his team to a win, this time out.
Prediction
Sheffield United 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur
In spite of securing their very first victory of the season in the league Chris Wilder’s side are all set for a tough task to overcome a Tottenham side who will be raring to bounce back after their midweek display. However, the Blades can be a dogged opponent to surpass for Jose Mourinho’s men, and Spurs will need to be more piercing in the final third.
That being said, the visitors have several players who could decide the game at any moment, which gives them an edge to snatch all three points from Sheffield United. The Hard Tackle predicts the Lilywhites to run out with a 2-0 victory and regain their spot in the top four.