David Moyes and West Ham United will want to put the cup disappointment behind then and collect three points against bottom-placed Sheffield United.
Unlike West Ham United, Sheffield United enjoyed cup success at the expense of Gillingham, as the Blades ran out 4-0 winners. William Osula’s first-half brace preceded a second-half double from James McAtee, ensured Chris Wilder’s side set an FA Cup fourth-round clash with Brighton & Hove Albion, as the manager will now look forward to steadying the hip in the Premier League.
With nine points on board and stationed at the bottom of the table, Sheffield United are the clear favourite to go down this season. Wilder’s appointment was designed to stop the rut, and there has been early promise. But results have continued to go against the Blades.
A win over Brentford last month appeared to have boosted their hopes of survival. But taking one point from a possible twelve in their next four games has trimmed the mood again at Bramall Lane. The Blades now face a formidable West Ham side, looking to produce a statement win, which could further diminish Wilder’s hopes for the season.
David Moyes will want his players to reflect on some of their recent performances in cup competitions and see where they went wrong. The Hammers have seen themselves eliminated from the League Cup and the FA Cup in quick succession, with the latest coming against lower-league opposition Bristol City.
The Championship side forced the Hammers into a replay following their 1-1 draw at the London Stadium. In the replay, Bristol City capitalised on a defensive error from West Ham as Tommy Conway punished them in the third minute. The Bristol goalscorer had also scored in the first game in London. Later in the clash, Said Benrahma’s red card did not help the Hammers, as they were forced to concede defeat.
However, Moyes will be optimistic about their chances in the league, as the Hammers are in a good run of form. Since losing to Fulham, West Ham won their next three against Wolves, Manchester United and Arsenal while drawing to Brighton after that. They have kept four clean sheets in those games, and if they manage to do so again, it will be the first time in their Premier League history that they have kept five in a row.
Team News & Tactics
Sheffield United
Chris Wilder has no reprieve with a long list of injured players, although he could bring back those rested for the FA Cup clash. The manager rested key trio, Auston Trusty, Anel Ahmedhodzic or George Baldock, keeping the Premier League fight in mind, and should bring them back to the fold.
Sheffield United could also have Jayden Bogle after a concussion protocol, but there are doubts whether he will make the starting lineup. Chris Basham, Max Lowe, John Egan, and Daniel Jebbison are all absent due to injuries. Yasser Larouci and Anis Ben Slimane are at the AFCON, so they will surely miss this clash.
Wilder will continue to deploy three defenders at the back, with a four-man midfield unit to tackle the threat posed by West Ham United. Loan arrival Ben Brereton Diaz, who came from Villarreal, could make his Premier League debut and lead the Sheffield United attack. His inclusion could see Wilder revert to a two-prone strike unit alongside Cameron Archer.
Probable Lineup (3-4-1-2): Foderingham; Ahmedhodzic, Robinson, Trusty; Baldock, Norwood, Souza, Thomas; McAtee; Archer, Brereton Diaz
West Ham United
David Moyes will tinker with his starting lineup for the clash against Sheffield United as injuries and absentees could influence his decision-making. The absence of Lucas Paqueta is undoubtedly a huge one to deal with, which could have allowed Said Benrahma a concerted run in the side.
The attacker picked up a needless red card that will see him miss three games, which comes as a blow for Moyes, who is already missing Mohammed Kudus, who, alongside Nayef Aguerd, has left for the AFCON. In all this, Pablo Fornals could count himself lucky and might get an extended run in the team.
Kurt Zouma’s presence is still under question; Moyes might prefer Angelo Ogbonna and Dinos Mavropanos as his starting centre-backs. Vladimir Coufal and Emerson Palmieri are best placed to take the full-back roles.
In the attack, with Michail Antonio, Benrahma, Paqueta and Kudus all absent, Moyes could sift Jarrod Bowen to his preferred left-wing slot, which could open the doors for Danny Ings to make a rare start and lead the line for the Hammers.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Areola; Coufal, Mavropanos, Ogbonna, Emerson; Alvarez, Coufal; Bowen, Ward-Prowse, Fornals; Ings
Key Stats
- Sheffield United have failed to win 18 of their last 20 matches in the Premier League.
- Sheffield United have one victory in their last five Premier League games.
- West Ham have kept a clean sheet in their last four matches; they have never kept five consecutive ones in their Premier League history.
- West Ham have kept a clean sheet in their last three matches against Sheffield United in all competitions.
- West Ham are on a 11-game Premier League winning streak against teams starting the day in 20th place.
Player to Watch
Jarrod Bowen
West Ham United has had a perfect run in the league of late, which has seen them climb into the sixth spot. However, since the turn of the year, they have encountered many problems with attacking personnel, which puts more emphasis on Bowen.
Against Sheffield United, the winger could return to his favoured position on the right wing. Still, he will be tasked with more responsibilities, especially due to the absences of Lucas Paqueta and Mohammed Kudus. Will he come to the party and deliver a masterclass? The quest remains, but Moyes will undoubtedly want that.
Prediction
Sheffield United 0-2 West Ham United
Chris Wilder will want a different result than the prediction suggests above. But there is hardly a different view considering how dreadful they have been lately. If the FA Cup victory has anything of a boost to their momentum, they will find it out against a formidable opposition in West Ham United.
The Hammers are in a fantastic run of form in the Premier League, and David Moyes will want this streak to be continued. They did manage only a draw in their last game against Brighton. But there’s enough hope for them to get at least a few goals against the Blades and keep their charge on the table while maintaining a fifth clean sheet in a row, something they have never done in their Premier League history.