If our trip to Arsenal saw us place a team on the up at just the wrong time, this one is the absolute opposite.
Not only have Sheffield United failed to win a single Premier League game all season (cursed it, haven’t I?!), they’ve lost 15 of 17 so far and could also be without a few key players for Tuesday night’s match up at Bramall Lane.
They’ll be fighting for their life, probably knowing this is an absolute must win if they’re to have ANY hope of pulling off the great escape, but there is absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t be winning this game.
After Steve Bruce said in his Monday morning presser that we’ll need to be “at our best” to beat this “very good” Blades side, we’ll have to hope we not only match the application shown at The Emirates on Saturday but this time give the opposition much more to think about in attack. After all, Bruce’s head will be on the chopping block like never before if we hand a blunt Blades side their first win of 2020/21 – a result that would well and truly suck us into a potential relegation scrap!
This isn’t the game for a low-block and backs against the wall approach, this is a game where we must get at them from the off and make sure we come away with all three points.
Team news
- Dubravka & Darlow – Steve Bruce has admitted he has an “awful” dilemma deciding who to start, suggesting he still doesn’t know who he’ll go with now both are fully fit.
- Wilson & Shelvey – Both missed out at Arsenal as a “precaution” and are expected to return vs Sheffield United.
- Schar & Fernandez – Bruce has confirmed will play after a rest over the weekend.
- Jamaal Lascelles – Made his return at Arsenal but was taken off at half-time through “fatigue”. Highly doubt he’ll start this one if he’s still feeling the after effects of COVID.
- Ryan Fraser – Bruce’s is “hoping” he’s fit to play after a few weeks out with a groin injury. If he features, it’ll most likely be from the bench.
- Jamal Lewis – No update on him in Bruce’s presser. Missed our last two with an injury but has been tipped to return this week, making him one to watch when the team sheets are released on Tuesday night.
- Allan Saint-Maximin – Set to miss out once again. He’s back in the country but won’t be match fit for another few weeks it seems.
For the hosts, it looks late fitness tests will be needed for Stevens, Baldock, Sharp, Jagielka and Mousset, with midfield star Sander Berge a long-term absentee.
Predicted line up
(5-2-2-1): Darlow – Yedlin, Fernandez, Schar, Clark, Ritchie – Hayden, Shelvey – Murphy, Almiron – Wilson.
OUT – Dubravka, Krafth, Lascelles, Dummett, Hendrick, S Longstaff, Joelinton and Carroll?
IN – Darlow, Yedlin, Fernandez, Schar, Ritchie, Shelvey, Murphy and Wilson?
After resting a whole host over the weekend, Bruce seems likely to ring the changes here and hand starts to several rested stars.
I can see the defence being exactly as it was against Man City, Liverpool and Leicester, with the one positive from those three games being we actually looked pretty solid in all of them against strong opposition.
I’d personally prefer to see us go back to a four-man defence in this one and set up with a slightly more attacking formation, but with Lewis appearing to miss training on Monday and Dummett playing 120 minutes on Saturday after so long out, we’re short on left-back options (Ritchie is OK at wing-back but not suited to being on the left of a back four).
In midfield, I feel like Matty Longstaff deserves another chance and has added some much needed energy to our midfield in recent weeks, however I think Bruce will hand Shelvey a recall, with Hayden helping make up for his lack of mobility.
It’d be a risk that could backfire – especially when Matty’s given us another dimension – but I reckon Bruce will feel Shelvey’s creativity could be key against a struggling Blades side.
It’s also worth noting he scored in this fixture last season and ran the show when we beat them 3-0 in that emphatic win in June during Project Restart.
Out wide, I think Joelinton may be taken out of the firing line after another sloppy display over the weekend and believe it could be Murphy that gets a chance to shine. He created a few chances during his cameo appearance against Arsenal and could well be given the nod alongside Almiron if Fraser is only deemed fit enough for the bench.
In between those two, it has to be Callum Wilson. He’s been given a rest and is the main man who can do damage to a brittle Sheffield United back line. Carroll was brilliant against Arsenal (aside from a few big misses), however he surely won’t start so soon after running himself into the ground for over 90 minutes?
Prediction
I have mixed thoughts ahead of this one.
In one sense I feel we’ve looked more solid in our last four games and was impressed by our application at Arsenal, but we’ve scored the harsh facts are we’ve scored ONE goal from open play in the last EIGHT hours of football and come into this with just one win in our last seven.
I think Sheffield United will be at it and looking to kickstart their season here, but I don’t think that will be enough to beat us.
Hoping we have too much and come away with a much needed win, yet fearing we’ll be blunt against a battling Blades side.
Prediction: Sheffield United 1-1 Newcastle
HWTL!
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Olly: your predicted team and the one on the green grass above are nothing like each other 🙂
Fact:
Sheffield United have 2 points out of a possible 51 this season.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Less than 4% of points available.
Extrapolated over a whole season 2 points from 17 games gives them 4.47. But lets be generous and round it up to 5. So if we lose they will have reached their extrapolated total for the season courtesy of us.
I have said this before but the lowest PL total points ever was Derby with 11 and we gave them 4 of those.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Why the line up picture is conflicted with updated news?
Chinh(Quote)
Ooops! Edited it now so should be consistent. Cheers
Olly Hawkins(Quote)
I think Olly will be close on the team and there is enough talent there to beat a 2 points from 51 Sheffield Utd. Let’s not forget that! They are by far the worst team in the league in terms of points which is one of the measures of failure, the ultimate measure when it comes to relegation. Points on the board is the one thing Bruce can hang his hat on.
My only concerns are which Shelvey will turn up and which Ritchie will turn up.
I would like Dummett to play because he is our best defender but coming back from 6 months out there is no way he should play a second game in 3 days. That probably guarantees Bruce will start him 🙂
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I can’t see us winning. In fact it’s so very Newcastle to lose.
Stuart79(Quote)
I am going to send Bruce a bill for my TV today after I throw my shoe at it because Ritchie hits the first man and Shelevy sends in his floaters. How about giving Schar a go? Murphy? Would it shatter Shelvey and Ritchie’s delicate egos? All we would have to do is show them videos from the last 4 years. And Shelvey should nowhere near free kicks either.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Can anybody answer me a question. Why are Supermarkets asking for help from the police to enforce the law regards masks? Are they incapable of enforcing the law now? If that’s the case thousands of 14 year olds will be lining up to buy cans of lager in the knowledge that they can’t enforce the law without police presence
Stuart79(Quote)
Eric, you agree with Twitter banning Trump but why haven’t they banned this whopper Ayatollah Khamenei? He Tweets away and often threatens to wipe Israel, a entire nation and democratic one too off the face of the earth. It’s almost like Twitter are playing to their Uber liberal gallery.
Of course if they banned the Iranian leader they’d be accused of islamophobia and racism.
Anybody see the hypocrisy yet…?
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart: I dont have any say in what Twitter do. I am guessing they are banning Trump as a punishment for his stoking the fires of insurrection but also to try to prevent further violence before the inauguration. These crazies do seem to take their lead from Donald and even yesterday he was denying that it was the MAGA mob that invaded the Capitol. You seem to have me pegged as some ultra liberal when I am not. I am totally against Trump, that is all. I think he is dangerous and out of control.
I thought you would have something to say about the Boris bikeride. I have no idea what that is about. I thought you were allowed to go outside for exercise? I havent looked into it to see if he was with others because I think it is a bit of a non-story. My mother walks her dog for 2 miles everyday. Should she be staying home and going silently crazy?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I am not really looking forward to this game. The rest of the league seem to have the Sheffield Utd tactics sussed. I am not an expert but I did hear the commentators talk about his innovative use of centre halfs and it seems the PL have adapted. Will Bruce have even noticed?
I am not worried about us playing with 3 centre halfs as long as their first thought is not to pass back to Darlow to hoof it. Clark and Schar have shown they can bring the ball out and should not just be passing to Shelvey as he comes back to within a few feet of them. It is important that Shelvey plays further forward today.
And if we are playing wingbacks then at least use them as wingbacks some of the time. If they play as fullbacks we may as well play Dummett and Manquillo.
And please, no Joelinton.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, you are allowed to go out for exercise as long as you don’t have contact with anybody. Boris riding a bike is exercise and the last time I looked bikes are generally isolated exercise. It’s the media trying for their “Gotcha” moment. Same with the vaccine. They say “well done” through gritted teeth and then complain we aren’t doing it 24/7 yet. Ignoring the issues 24/7 bring – especially setting it up. They’re pathetic parasites.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart: I think the world has gone nuts, certainly over here. I cannot fathom middle aged men risking their livelihoods and freedom for an ape like Trump. They could go to prison for 10 years and that is not the ones who beat up policemen who will be subject to full criminal charges. But, I dont understand idiots who went don the Bigg Market on a Friday night just to cause a fight either.
There are now over 500 people banned for life from Delta Airlines for not wearing a mask. What are these people thinking.
Mitt Romney flies coach from Utah to Washington. He was berated on his last flight by Trump supporters and now that airline is banning alcohol. Last flight I took they werent even giving out soft drinks!
Anyway, the world has gone mad.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stuart: the weather has been freezing in Chicago but I have been keeping an eye on Covid numbers so I can go for a walk when it warms up. There is currently very little risk in Chicago but they are not opening things up. That is probably the correct thing to do given what has happened in California but I am not sure how you do actually resume a semi-normal life.
There are 3 million people in Metro Chicago (many more in the suburbs). The numbers say it should be opened up. The positivity rate is 10% and the City has a 12% threshold where pubs can open. By rights they should be open. Last week there were 55 new covid cases, in a city of 3 mil. It is more deadly than the flu but I bet that is lower than a normal flu number in Jan 27% of ICU beds are available.
Everything points to this being under control here but they are being ultra-cautious. It really is hard to know what to do. I cancelled a trip to FL next week probably because I had watched too much news. I am pretty certain it would have been safe but I have switched the flight now to Maine in May.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
It certainly has. On GMB today they had a debate about whether it’s healthy to be obese. They actually had someone on who was arguing that being obese isn’t unhealthy and having an obese person on the front of a magazine isn’t glorifying obesity. Even Suzanna Reid (fast turning into the female version of Piers Morgan) was saying that criticising obesity wasn’t fair and was fat shaming! Ffs! Obesity isn’t healthy. It’s the same as people trying to convince everyone that babies shouldn’t be assigned a gender when they’re born. Crazy!
We are literally trying to redefine centuries old realities and biological facts.
Stuart79(Quote)
Stuart: I have mentioned a few times on here that my 88 year old aunt has dementia. She is the 3rd one on that side of my family to get it. I am currently reading a book on dementia to see if it is inevitable for me. It turns out that genes are only about a 10% factor in dementia. What are much higher risk:
Obesity
Diabetes
A sendentry lifestyle such as sitting on the coach all day
Lacking social interaction.
I think these all go hand in hand. Obesity is not just overweight either. A lot of people could do with losing a few pounds. I have actually lost weight in this pandemic but I was never overweight to begin with. I lost about 8 pounds and I think that is due to not going to the pub and drinking beer. I do not drink beer at home.
BTW, the best things you can do to avoid dementia are: exercise, get 7 hrs sleep, socialize.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
You might think that stuff like obesity is not causal for dementia, that the correlation is just coincidence (that was my first thought). But they have done multi-decade studies that shows the link. They have used MRIs and the like to show causation.
I dont think I have ever fat shamed anybody but obesity is an epidemic over here. I think it is up to 40% of the population. That is not just being fat, that is clinically obese.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Eric, it’s shown now that obesity is the leading cause of cancer. It’s also a major contributing factor to heart disease and certainly the main factor in getting type 2 diabetes and the illness that stems from type 2 diabetes is frightening.
This is part of my frustration on the lockdown, Eric. Obesity will kill so many more people than Covid world wide and yet governments around the world pay it lip service and often give unproven dietary advice. We’ve been eating low fat foods with 50% of our food made up of carbs for the last 40 years and the Western world has never been fatter! What does that tell you?!
Stuart79(Quote)
Just watched Panorama which is a classic BBC programme designed to put pressure on governments and even it has said that closing the schools will cause this generation of children problems for the rest of their lives… wow! We really won’t see the full impact of these lockdown for 10-20 years. Scary!
Stuart79(Quote)
I think we beat Sheff Utd today.
1-0 or 2-0 but we keep a clean sheet.
I think he should stick with Darlow. I know Dubravka has been very good before his injury, but I don’t know what more Darlow could have done since coming in. So much so I think he’s probably been MOTM in every game his played in.
How unfair would it be to drop him straight away.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy – what would it say to every player if Darlow is dropped?
Stuart79(Quote)
It tells you that the body needs a certain amount of cards and when you go over that amount the carbs turn to sugar which is inherently bad for you in high quantities and it also gets stored by the body as fat.
People confuse athletes eating carbs for energy and burning them off because they have slow release and the normal person who turns carbs into sugar. That includes beer which is my main downfall if i go out a couple of times a week.
I have looked into this recently because of the brain health stuff. I have no health conditions and want to try to keep it that way even as I get into my later 50s.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I think we keep Darlow as well. I never thought I would be saying this after Dubs got injured but this is not the same Karl Darlow we saw before. If it is Steve Harper that helped him then I would sack Bruce today and make Harps manager.
It has to be mental with Darlow. He always had the skills just his judgement was off coming for the ball and for interceptions outside the box and his confidence seemed low.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Stu – I’m not one for laying into Joelinton, but the loyalty Bruce has shown in keep selecting Joe with his form – he can’t possibly drop Darlow.
If he does it against what he’s known for – his man management and doing right by his players (according to all his pundit mates who know him & have defended him most of this season).
Sharpy17(Quote)
If you were a neutral would you even consider watching this game? We have to be the 2 worst teams in the league to watch with 2 of the lowest goal totals. Sky has it in a prime slot at 6pm.
Welcome to our world the rest of the football watching public. Let’s see what excuses the pundits come up for Bruce this time. I hope Sharpy is right and we scape a win but I doubt it will be pretty.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I think if we beat Sheffield Utd today we are 90% certain to stay up. It will put us on 22 points with 21 games to go. I think we will need 34/5 points to stay up because there are at least 5 other bad teams or managers. It would take a collapse of Ugly John Carver proportions for us to get relegated and even he kept us up (he was dealt a bad hand with injuries so I have some sympathy but not much).
13 points from 21 games is needed if we win tonight. Danny Mills and Robbie Savage will be getting out the bunting and the flags for Brucie and telling us we are delusional.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Actually, Eric, Carbohydrates isn’t an essential nutrient that the human body requires. We have three essential nutrients that the human body requires to sustain life and they are:
1) Fat
2) Protein
3) Various Vitamins and Minerals
Our bodies were originally designed to run on fat as fuel.
Why are we advised to have 50% of our diet made up of a nutrient that isn’t essential?
But in my opinion obesity is down to what we eat first and foremost because that leads to how much we eat. A diet high in carbs leads to peaks and troughs in blood sugar which leads to periods of hunger shortly after eating. That’s due to carbs being digested quickly and entering your bloodstream quickly, increasing insulin levels and along with that comes the chemical imbalances that tell your brain your hungry again when you only ate a couple of hours ago. So the doom loop starts. A diet lower in carbs and higher in fat means you naturally eat less. Fat and protein is digested slower, manages blood sugar levels adequately without the spikes and hence without the hunger.
Fat has been vilified since the 70’s from a study called the seven countries study by an American called Ancel Keys. He basically stated that fat was the main cause of heart disease around the world. Ignoring evidence and also quite incredibly ignoring smoking and sedentary lifestyles on hearth health!! Incredible now. But for some reason doctors and health authorities feel they can’t accept they’re been wrong. The evidence is there for all to see.
Stuart79(Quote)
5-4-1. Hmmm
Shelvey not even on bench.
Fraser in, which is a surprise.
Miggy and Joe out, also a surprise.
Dummett 2 games in 3 days.
I honestly dont know about this team as you could say it is 5 at the back and 3 defensive mids unless Longstaff pushes up.
I HAVE EVEN LESS IDEA NOW HOW THIS WILL WORK OUR THAN BEFORE I SAW THE TEAM.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So you are doing the Keto diet then.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
A team, without a win, only scored 8 goals and let in 29…and he plays 5 at the back ?♂️
Stuart79(Quote)
Not a diet in that sense of the word. But yes, I limit my carbs to no more than 25g a day and im fuelled by fat.
Stuart79(Quote)
The banana strip. Has anybody really seen anybody wear that 3rd strip? Even a kid?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
And 3 defensive mids. Longstaff has played defensive mid in all but 1 game in the last 18 months.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
4 mins in. I dont agree with having all 11 back for a corner. At least have 1 for an outlet.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
10 mins in.
WTF are we doing? We havent been out of our own half.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So far getting outplayed by Sheffield! ????
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Remind me who’s bottom with 2 points…?
Stuart79(Quote)
We did it again – 19 mins, all 11 back in our box for a corner.
The only time we have been in their box was that wasted free kick.
And Longstaff gave away the ball again with **** pass that SU should have done better with.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Sat shouting at the tele here like.
Longstaff & Hendrick are absolutely awful!!!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Like Edward’s listed some players who he said had improved under Bruce. Wonder if he has the same opinion…
Stuart79(Quote)
2 points from 51.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Bruce should have made changes already imo.
We have no midfield at all here. Nothing to transition defensive to attack, nobody passing the ball forward – just back so Fernandes or Schar can smash it forward.
There is nobody in the midfield stopping them running through.
This is one of the worst first half’s I’ve watched. We have been truly awful!!.
Let’s see what Jamie Redknapp had to say about his pals team performance at half time.
Sharpy17(Quote)
42 mins – corner, everybody back. You just invite them on if you do that.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Fucking hell man!!!.
What a fucking idiot!!!. That’s frustration that!!!.
Fucking hopeless!!!
Sharpy17(Quote)
??????????????????????????????????????????????????
Gilly Toon(Quote)
That’s Bruce’s excuse sorted when in actual fact we deserve nothing so far whether we had 11 or 10
Stuart79(Quote)
That’s good, Fraser off! At least it is 2 yellows and only 1 game.
Could it get any worse?
Darlow, we need you more than ever now.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
In fact I’m surprised we haven’t had more sent off this season. It must be so frustrating for attacking players playing like this. Most of the game just passes them by. They must think what’s the point…
Stuart79(Quote)
Bloody shocking so far, yellow jersey very apt for us.
And now down to ten men-brilliant, just brilliant.
Lets see what Brucesaurus does to navigate us being reduced to 10.
kimtoon(Quote)
How do you describe that against the bottom team who have 2 points. The worst half of football this season? And that is saying something.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
If Ashley doesn’t sack that fuc.king cabbage head idiot very soon we will be relegated. This is relegation level football. Relegation and we will never get sold.
Longstaff and Hendrick are awful, useless twa.ts.
Turgid shocking football. We are the most static team ever. Making Sheffield look like Barcelona ….
Gilly Toon(Quote)
How’s it going so far Brucie?
We are playing against a very good team and I think the red was a bit harsh. We are making progress after I’ve had 18 months in charge. We had a shot. Was it on target? I thought Sean made a great pass to them to give them a free run at goal.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Gilly mate, this is unbelievable. We set up for nil nil FFS and now down to 10. Will we even get out of our own half for the next 45 mins?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
What’s wrong with these pundits man???
Apparently this is a big performance from Sheff Utd … they have nothing facing them that’s why!!!.
Our midfield is non existent!!. Our full backs have never crossed the half way line. Wilson has no support and will have even less now Fraser is off!!!.
Bruce picked the wrong team with 3 sitting midfielders & should have changed it 20 mins in – brought Matty or Almiron on for Hendrick – who is just marginally ahead of Longstaff as the worse player in a newcastle shirt.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Gilly – me & me mate have just been saying (via WhatsApp) this reminds us of the McClaren team.
Awful stuff – here we go again.
Sharpy17(Quote)
We had 38% possession and 0 attempts on target.
Let’s see how much that changes in the 2nd half
Sharpy17(Quote)
My thumb is on the remote to turn this off if they score.
It isnt going to be that much different anyway. 8-0-1n instead of 9-0-1.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Astonishing that the commentator says “Newcastle will sit deep now they only have ten men”! WTF?! We did that with 11 and we do that every game
Stuart79(Quote)
Jabba will still be thinking Bruce is doing a good job. We’re not in the bottom three… yet.
Stuart79(Quote)
Brilliant by Darlow again. Where is Southgate?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Do you think it would be possible to train a team to actually play this bad?
Stuart79(Quote)
Was it Villa that went down to 10 men and won 3 nil? I think it was against West Brom who are above Sheffield.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The only players that can hold their head up are Darlow, Fernandez and Clark.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
There were 2 touches with his arm then hand.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Wonder if we might think of attacking now?
Stuart79(Quote)
Last 5 in PL, 2 points from 15.
2 Cup losses as well.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
We’re 9 points off relegation. But Fulham have two games in hand…
It wouldn’t be a big shock if our luck changed and we got dragged into it.
Stuart79(Quote)
**** again next so that is almost certainly 2 points from 18.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Then Everton and Leeds. We could be in trouble now.
19 points should have us pushing on.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Lets say we get 1 point from the next 3 games – Arsenal, Everton, Leeds.
That would be 3 from 27. Would that get Bruce sacked?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
This was probably Wilson’s worst game. He had 2 free headers.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Is there a luckier manager in the world that Covid is running riot?
Stuart79(Quote)
I’m just lost for words ????
Gilly Toon(Quote)
If that wasn’t enough to such Bruce then nothing is. He can fu.ck right off and take Longstaff sr and hendrick with him…
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Sack Bruce
Gilly Toon(Quote)