Sheffield United and Crystal Palace will aim to kick-start their Premier League campaigns strongly when they clash at Bramall Lane on Saturday.
The 2023/24 season is nearly here, with Burnley and Manchester City set to get us underway at Turf Moor. The action on Saturday will begin at the Emirates, where Arsenal will host Nottingham Forest. And Gameweek 1 will kick into overdrive after the lunchtime kick-off, starting with the game between Sheffield United and Crystal Palace at Bramall Lane.
Sheffield United returned to the Premier League after two seasons in the EFL Championship. And the Blades secured automatic promotion to the top flight after finishing second in the league. But the 2023/24 season will bring huge challenges for Paul Heckingbottom’s men, who will be one of the favourites for the drop. So they will be eager to begin their campaign with a bang this week.
On the other hand, Crystal Palace finished the 2022/23 season in the 11th spot. But they blew hot and cold throughout the campaign, with Patrick Vieira losing his spot midway through the campaign. Roy Hodgson came out of retirement to help the Eagles, who embarked on a brilliant run during the latter stages and nearly clinched a top-half finish.
Hodgson has since signed on for another year, giving Crystal Palace a shot in the arm. And they ended their pre-season campaign on a high, clinching positive results against Sevilla and Lyon. On the other hand, Sheffield United lost three of the six games they played in the pre-season, with the most recent clash ending in a 3-0 defeat to VfB Stuttgart.
Crystal Palace beat Sheffield United 2-0 in both fixtures featuring the two clubs in the 2020/21 season. And The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the season opener for the Eagles and the Blades.
Team News & Tactics
Sheffield United
Hecky’s message to Blades fans. ❤️
“Come and enjoy it. To enjoy it we’ve got to give our best, but we want to response from everyone.
The fans realise how important they are to us, and we know what they want to see and our part we play in the special atmosphere at BL.” pic.twitter.com/T8hKspHgUj
— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) August 10, 2023
The 2023/24 season is not starting well for Sheffield United on the injury front. And manager Paul Heckingbottom might be without as many as nine first-team players against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Jayden Bogle (knee), Rhys Norrington-Davies (thigh), Ismaila Coulibaly (knee), John Fleck (calf), and Rhian Brewster (hamstring) will play no part against Crystal Palace. Meanwhile, Oliver Norwood (head), Vinicius Souza (knock), Daniel Jebbison (groin), and Ollie McBurnie (ankle) face late fitness tests to determine their availability.
Wes Foderingham will take his spot between the sticks, with Sheffield United lining up in a 3-5-2 formation in front of him. And Anel Ahmedhodzic, John Egan, and Jack Robinson should form the central defensive unit on Saturday.
George Baldock and Max Lowe should be the two full-backs. And their deliveries from the flanks will bring the strikers into the picture during transitions. Meanwhile, Norwood should be fit enough to take the field on Saturday.
The veteran midfielder should sit at the base of the midfield unit, looking to direct play while organising the team around him. Ben Slimane and Ben Osborn should accompany Norwood in the middle of the park. Finally, Benie Traore and William Osula should be the two strikers amid uncertainties surrounding McBurnie and Jebbison’s fitness concerns.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Foderingham; Ahmedhodzic, Egan, Robinson; Baldock, Ben Slimane, Norwood, Osborn, Lowe; Traore, Osula
Crystal Palace
Unlike his counterpart in the Sheffield United dugout, Roy Hodgson does not have nearly as many fitness concerns hampering his preparations ahead of the trip to Bramall Lane. On Saturday, the Crystal Palace boss might be without four first-team players.
Michael Olise (thigh), Will Hughes (knee), and new signing Matheus Franca (stress issue) will not be available to take on Sheffield United. And the trio will take some time to return to action. But Hodgson provided some good news during his pre-match press conference, revealing that Tyrick Mitchell is fit to take the field this weekend.
"He’s fitted in, right from the first moment. He’s got the quality, the experience and the character that the fans will love." 💬
Full of praise for @jeffersonlerma 🇨🇴 pic.twitter.com/P9hF6OVZcz
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) August 11, 2023
Mitchell has recovered from the thigh injury he sustained in a pre-season friendly against Millonarios. And he should make it to the starting eleven, joining Marc Guehi, Joachim Andersen, and Joel Ward in the defensive unit. Meanwhile, Sam Johnstone should feature between the sticks.
Crystal Palace should line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with new signing Jefferson Lerma shoring up the midfield significantly. The Colombian international will line up alongside Cheick Doucoure in the double pivot. And the duo will form a formidable pairing in the middle of the park.
The presence of the double pivot will give Eberechi Eze the freedom to express himself in the final third. And the 25-year-old will reprise the no. 10 role behind Odsonne Edouard. Finally, Jordan Ayew and Jeffrey Schlupp will likely start on the flanks for Crystal Palace against Sheffield United.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Johnstone; Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Doucoure, Lerma; Ayew, Eze, Schlupp; Edouard
Key Stats
- Sheffield United have lost just one of their past five home league games with Crystal Palace, although it was a 2-0 defeat in their last encounter in May 2021. Meanwhile, the Eagles are seeking three league wins in a row over the Blades for the first time since doing so between 1992 and 1995.
- The winning team has kept a clean sheet in all six of the Premier League meetings between Sheffield United and Crystal Palace.
- Paul Heckingbottom’s side conceded nine set-piece goals in the Championship last season, excluding penalties. Only Coventry City shipped fewer last term with seven.
- The Blades have registered an opening-day victory just once in the past nine seasons, losing their previous three.
- Crystal Palace won 25 points from losing positions in last season’s Premier League, nine more than any other club, with seven of their 11 wins earned after falling behind. Meanwhile, the Eagles have lost their opening league fixture in eight of the past 12 seasons, winning three and drawing one.
Player to Watch
Eberechi Eze
With Wilfried Zaha leaving Crystal Palace as a free agent and Michael Olise recovering from an injury, Eberechi Eze will be the main man for the Eagles in the first few matchdays. In addition, Olise has his future mired in speculation amid links with Chelsea. So Eze automatically becomes the talismanic figure for the London club.
The playmaker will also have a free role this season following the arrival of Jefferson Lerma. And reduced defensive burden should bring the best out of Eze, as he can concentrate on his creative output. So he should be the standout performer at Bramall Lane this weekend.
Prediction
Sheffield United 0-1 Crystal Palace
The defensive unit is undoubtedly the strong suit for Sheffield United heading into the 2023/24 season. And a season-opening game against an undercooked Crystal Palace attack gives them a good opportunity to start the campaign with a clean sheet.
But Eberechi Eze has been a revelation under the tutelage of Roy Hodgson. And the 25-year-old should singlehandedly deliver the three points on Saturday. The Hard Tackle predicts a closely-contested affair between Sheffield United and Crystal Palace, with the Eagles clinching a 1-0 win.