Date: Saturday
7th November 2020
Venue: Stamford
Bridge
Kick-off: 17:30 GMT
After a decent win and another clean
sheet midweek against Rennes in the Champions League, we’re at home again in
this evening’s game, this time to Sheffield United in the Premier League.
The Blades did more than hold their own against us last season, with a draw in this fixture and a 3-0 win against us at Bramall Lane in July. This season, they’ve struggled so far, for points and goals but they haven’t been that poor, so both will come eventually – let’s just hope neither come today.
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going
into today’s game, Chelsea manager, Frank Lampard, says “I want to be clear going into the game that Sheffield United
are an amazing team; an amazing team with an incredible manager. If you look at the table, you’ll see them in a
position that’s not I suppose false but nowhere near should we take that as our
guideline for the game we’ve got in front of us. I watched them play Liverpool
recently, I watched them play Manchester City, who most people would say are
the best teams in the league, they ran them both very close. And they are a
still the same great team that had such a great season last year. So it’s a
very, very tough match.”
Sheffield United
manager, Chris Wilder meanwhile, says “People might talk about inexperience but people always look for
an excuse to dig managers out. And I
can’t see anything else but an unbelievably driven manager in Frank Lampard and
intelligent one who had a fabulous playing career and who is taking those
experiences into his managerial career. The
problems he had there in his first season, with the transfer embargo, he did
very well but he is now putting his stamp on the team and I expect them to go
really well this season.
I think there’s a few clubs beneath
Liverpool and Manchester City who are desperate to close that gap, and there is
a gap. Chelsea are certainly the standout one for me in terms of closing the
gap between the two teams who have been the best in the country for quite a
period now. Chelsea are an outstanding side and I believe they are going to
close that gap and I think they will be in and around it right the way
through.”
SQUAD
NEWS
For Chelsea, Christian
Pulisic (hamstring) and Kai Havertz (covid) remain out and the game comes too
soon for Billy Gilmour (knee). Kepa (shoulder) is available again although is
unlikely to move Mendy from his place in the first XI.
For Sheffield United, John
Fleck and Lys Mousset are absent, whilst Ethan Ampadu is ineligible to play
against us.
TEAMS
CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Mendy; James, Silva,
Zouma, Chilwell; Jorginho; Kante, Ziyech; Mount, Werner; Abraham
SHEFFIELD UNITED (Possible line-up): Ramsdale; Basham, Egan, Stevens;
Baldock, Berge, Norwood, Osborn, Lowe; McBurnie, Brewster
LAST
SEASON
Chelsea
2-2 Sheffield United (31 August 2019)
CURRENT
FORM (PL)
CHELSEA: LDWDDW
SHEFFIELD
UNITED: LLLDLL
OTHER
STUFF
- Sheffield United
have four wins from eight meetings,
- Sheffield United
are one of four clubs to have won more Premier League matches against Chelsea
than they have lost.
- Chelsea are on a
10-match unbeaten run in all competitions
- Sheffield United
are on an 11-match winless run in all competitions since they beat Chelsea in
July.
- Chelsea have kept
five consecutive clean sheets for the first time since 2010.
- It is 12 years
since Chelsea went six competitive games without conceding.
- Sheffield United could
remain winless in their first eight league games for the first time since
1990-91
PREDICTION
BBC Sports: Chelsea 2-0 Sheffield United
Sportsmole: Chelsea 2-0 Sheffield United
90min: Chelsea 3-0 Sheffield United
