West Ham vs Sheffield United tips and predictions: Irons to take advantage of battered Blades
Lucas Paqueta of West Ham
Planet Sport Bet's Robbie Savage thinks West Ham will inflict more misery on Sheffield United at the London Stadium.
Can Sheffield United respond from that humiliation of losing 8-0 at home? I think it was a record home defeat, eight different goal scorers against them.
Meanwhile West Ham got their first clean sheet of the season and first in 11 against Lincoln in the Carabao Cup.
I think that will continue against the Sheffield United side, who are really struggling in the Premier League. I'm going for a comfortable win for West Ham 3-0.
Robbie predicts: West Ham 3-0 Sheff Utd
Team news
West Ham's Aaron Cresswell is still a doubt with a hamstring problem, although he would be unlikely to replace Emerson at left back.
The rest of the squad is looking surprisingly healthy, though it will be interesting to see if Kudus gets a first Premier League start after his performance against Lincoln and his two goals in Europe last week.
Sheffield United have Ollie McBurnie back from suspension, but have all kinds of injury woes. Max Lowe, Ben Osborn, John Fleck, Rhian Brewster, Danile Jebbison and Rhys Norrington-Davies all out.
William Osula and George Baldock will undergo late fitness test, for a side that manager Paul Heckingbottom might make sweeping changes to after that 8-0 defeat.
Key stats
- West Ham won last two matches against Sheff Utd
- Sheff Utd not won in seven
- West Ham's first clean sheet in 11 came against Lincoln
Other suggest bets from Planet Sport
This match stirs up all the 'Tevez affair' beef that exists between the two clubs, granted mostly from the Yorkshire side of the equation.
It's a near twenty-year-old grudge, which to put into context by West Ham's newest signing Mohammed Kudus being just six years old in the 2006/07 season when it all kicked off.
Unfortunately for Hollywood star and Blades fan Sean Bean, who understandably is very anti-West Ham, things are unlikely to look up on their trip to capital.
West Ham do score, but are usually leaky at the back. However, Sheffield United aren't great scorers, just five all season. So a second clean sheet in a row is a possibility for West Ham.
West Ham won the last two encounters between the two sides a 3-0 and 1-0 win in the 2020/21 season.
The Irons are also bottom of the possession stats table, with Sheffield United not much higher in 17th. So West Ham will have to take a grip of the game rather than wait for their usual counter attack and Lucas Paqueta can thrive.
The Brazilian has looked impressive even in the 3-1 defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City and was totally rested against Lincoln. Goal and assist might be an interesting punt.
.
