Sheffield United vs West Ham tips and predictions: Ugly low scoring draw on cards at Bramall Lane

The Irons come into this match off the back of an FA Cup exit at the hands of Bristol City, where they looked totally flat. Only West Ham left-back Emerson came out of the game with any credit.

West Ham could also be without the spark that has seen the side reach sixth in the table and the knockout stages of the Europa League.

Mohammed Kudus is away on AFCON duty, Lucas Paqueta is out with injury and Jarrod Bowen is trying to recover in time for Sunday's encounter.

Without this trio, West Ham look devoid of all attacking thrust and Sheffield United can certainly capitalise on that.

Strikers Danny Ings and youngster Divin Mubama aren’t showing any cutting edge in the handful of games they have played, so much so that fans are calling for 19-year-old Callum Marshall to be given a proper run out.

The Northern Irish academy product made a ten-minute debut against Bristol City, and showed more than Ings did in 81 minutes. The majority of West Hams fans would happily drive Ings to his proposed loan deal with Wolves in the middle of the night, so desperate they are to get him out of the club.

West Ham are usually a reliable bet when it comes to scoring, but they’ve only netted once in the last three matches. Three games that Kudus and Paqueta didn’t play in...I’m ignoring counting the 14 minutes that the Brazilian played against Bristol City as that only served to make his ongoing injury worse.

Drawing another blank could well be on the cards at Bramall Lane unless the medical team can get leading scorer Bowen match fit.

However, West Ham do like this fixture as they’ve won the last three encounters all to nil. Ollie McBurnie was the scorer the last time Sheffield United beat West Ham back in January 2020.

The Blades secured a morale boosting 4-0 win in the FA Cup at Gillingham last weekend, but this match will be a different kettle of fish especially as they’ve only picked up one point from their last four matches.

This match has all the whiff of scrappy 1-0 win or a low scoring draw and would easily be last on Match of the Day if it was a full Saturday of fixtures.

But as West Ham are prone to costly errors at the back and Sheffield United have only kept one league clean sheet all season, then 1-1 gets the nod over a goalless stalemate.

Sheffield United newboy Ben Brereton Diaz is just the kind of player who will catch West Ham off guard, so stick him down for a goal or an assist.

To level it up Sheffield United can’t stop conceding to crosses in the Premier League (13 this season), so midfielder Tomas Soucek arriving late to stab home a goal looks good value as last goalscorer.

 

Team news

AFCON duty means Sheffield United are without Yasser Larouci and Anis Ben Slimane.

John Egan, Tom Davies, Max Lowe and Chris Basham all miss out, while George Baldock, Anel Ahmedhodzic and Auston Trusty face late fitness tests.

West Ham will have their fingers crossed that Bowen shakes off his ankle injury in time for Sunday’s match. They will also be hoping midfielder Edson Alvarez returns after missing the defeat to Bristol City.

Kudus and Nayef Aguerd are both away at AFCON, while Michail Antonio is still out of action along with Paqueta.

 

Key stats

-    West Ham have won the previous three encounters to nil
-    West Ham beat Sheffield United 2-0 in September
-    West Ham are winless in last three games, with two wins in last six
-    Sheffield United have conceded the first goal in 16 Premier League games this season

Suggested bets

-    Correct score – draw 1-1
-    Tomas Soucek first goalscorer
-    Ben Brereton Diaz assist
-    Under 2.5 goals