Chelsea will be desperate to return to winning ways when they welcome Sheffield United to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
The 2023/24 Premier League season continues this week with Gameweek 17. The latest round of fixtures begins with a rare Friday night kick-off featuring Nottingham Forest and Tottenham. The action on Saturday kick-starts in London, with Chelsea hosting Sheffield United at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea might have hoped for a better campaign under the tutelage of Mauricio Pochettino, especially after two memorable results against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City in November. But things have gone spiralling out of control, with the Blues losing three of their last four games, the latest coming against Everton.
As for Sheffield United, the Blades are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table. Paul Heckingbottom is no longer in the hot seat at Bramall Lane, with Chris Wilder replacing him. The South Yorkshire outfit beat Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium, with James McAtee scoring the match-winner.
Chelsea cruised to a 4-1 win the last time they hosted Sheffield United at Stamford Bridge, back in the 2020/21 season. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Chelsea
Mauricio Pochettino has a new injury concern hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against Sheffield United on Saturday, the Chelsea manager might be bereft of the services of as many as a dozen first-team players.
Robert Sanchez (knee), Reece James (hamstring), and Marc Cucurella (ankle) are the latest absentees for Chelsea. The trio picked up their fitness issues last weekend against Everton and will not take on Sheffield United.
The three players have joined Wesley Fofana (knee), Ben Chilwell (hamstring), Trevoh Chalobah (thigh), Lesley Ugochukwu (knock), and Carney Chukwuemeka (knee) in the treatment room. Meanwhile, Pochettino is sweating over the fitness of Malo Gusto, Romeo Lavia, Christopher Nkunku, and Noni Madueke.
Djordje Petrovic will deputise for Sanchez between the sticks, with Chelsea lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him. A makeshift defensive quartet should feature Axel Disasi, Thiago Silva, Benoit Badiashile, and Levi Colwill.
As for the midfield unit, Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo should pair up in the double pivot. The duo will receive defensive support from Conor Gallagher, who will don the armband in Reece James’s absence. Finally, the attacking department will likely feature Nicolas Jackson, Raheem Sterling, and Cole Palmer.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Disasi, Silva, Badiashile, Colwill; Fernandez, Caicedo; Palmer, Gallagher, Sterling; Jackson
Sheffield United
Unlike his counterpart in the Chelsea dugout, Chris Wilder has greeted a positive update on the team news front ahead of the trip to Stamford Bridge. The Sheffield United manager will be without seven first-team players on Saturday.
Oliver Norwood and Ollie McBurnie have served their suspensions and are available to take on Chelsea. Meanwhile, George Baldock should be fit enough to feature in the matchday squad. But there is a fresh absentee, with Jack Robinson serving a one-match ban after picking up his fifth booking this season last weekend.
Robinson has joined Chris Basham (ankle), Rhys Norrington-Davies (thigh), John Egan (ankle), Tom Davies (hamstring), Rhian Brewster (thigh), and Daniel Jebbison (illness) on the sidelines.
Sheffield United will line up in a defensive-minded 4-5-1 formation against Chelsea, with Wes Foderingham featuring between the sticks. Meanwhile, Robinson’s absence means Max Lowe will start as the left-back, with Auston Trusty moving into the central defensive pairing with Anel Ahmedhodzic. Jayden Bogle will complete the numbers at the back.
As for the midfield unit, Oliver Norwood will return to the starting eleven, with Vinicius Souza and Gustavo Hamer providing defensive support. The trio will look to keep things tight in the middle of the park, with Hamer also providing the creative impetus.
Hamer and James McAtee will be the creative workhorses for Sheffield United, with the latter being the visitors’ best player. Finally, Ollie McBurnie should spearhead the Sheffield United attack against Chelsea, with Cameron Archer completing the numbers in the offensive unit.
Probable Lineup (4-5-1): Foderingham; Bogle, Ahmedhodzic, Trusty, Lowe; McAtee, Souza, Norwood, Hamer, Archer; McBurnie
Key Stats
- Yorkshire teams are winless in their last 19 Premier League away games against Chelsea since Leeds United’s 2-0 victory in December 1999.
- Sheffield United are the only team without an away win in the Premier League thus far this season. The Blades have also scored fewer (four) and conceded the joint-most (20) away goals in the top flight this term.
- Sheffield United’s next goal will be their 200th in the Premier League. With 199 goals in 214 games thus far, their goal-per-game ratio of 0.93 is the lowest of all teams to have played in at least three campaigns in the competition.
- Mauricio Pochettino has won 36 of his 42 Premier League games against promoted sides, the best win rate by any manager to have taken charge of at least ten such games (85.7%).
- Raheem Sterling has been involved in 19 goals in his past 18 Premier League appearances against promoted sides, scoring 15 and assisting four. Three of his five league goals this season have come against such clubs (two against Luton Town and one against Burnley).
Player to Watch
Conor Gallagher
The rumour mill has been abuzz about the uncertain futures of several Chelsea players since the 2-0 defeat to Everton last weekend. Mauricio Pochettino has demanded signings from the club’s owners while sanctioning the departures of a few players. Recent reports have also claimed that Conor Gallagher might be one of the players facing the axe.
While Gallagher might not be a spectacular player, his graft and work ethic make him a manager’s delight. And with Pochettino entrusting him with the captain’s armband in Reece James’s absence, the latest rumours do not make sense. Nonetheless, the Englishman will be eager to make his mark, with this weekend’s game giving him the opportunity to make his point.
Prediction
Chelsea 1-0 Sheffield United
Sheffield United will set up a formation that will deny Chelsea many chances. With goals already coming few and far between for the home side, the visitors’ system will add to the frustrations. That will bring the Blades into the picture for a shock win to continue the new manager bounce under Chris Wilder, whose return promises a bright future.
But Chelsea’s backline will feature multiple centre-backs, denying Sheffield United many opportunities. In the end, Raheem Sterling, who loves facing newly-promoted teams, should deliver the goods, earning his team and manager some respite. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 1-0 win for Chelsea.