Sheffield United

Here are the key facts and figures before Thursday's Premier League fixture between Liverpool and Sheffield United.

• Liverpool have lost just one of their 39 Premier League home games against newly promoted sides, going down 1-0 to Fulham in March 2021. Since that defeat, the Reds have won their past eight by an aggregate score of 28-5.

• Sheffield United have conceded a league-high 77 Premier League goals this season, which is already their most in a top-flight campaign since 1975-76, when they let in 82 goals in 42 games and finished bottom of the table.

• The Reds have not lost any of their past 13 Premier League evening kick-offs, since a 2-1 home loss to Leeds United in October 2022. The Reds have won their past eight such games, scoring 26 goals.

• The Blades have had a two-goal lead in their past two league games but failed to win either (2-2 v Bournemouth, 3-3 v Fulham).

• Liverpool's Mohamed Salah has not scored or assisted a goal in his three Premier League appearances against promoted sides this season. He has never gone four such games without a goal involvement in the competition.

• Only Oli McBurnie (eight) and Gustavo Hamer (seven) have been involved in more Premier League goals for United this season than Ben Brereton (five – four goals, one assist), despite the Chile international only playing five games since joining in January.

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Chris Wilder has been speaking to the media before Sheffield United's Premier League match away to Liverpool on Thursday.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Wilder confirmed that George Baldock will be out for around six weeks with a calf injury and said: "We think highly of George in personality, characteristics and all round as a player. He got the injury on international duty so it's a difficult one for us to take. Disappointing news for both George and ourselves."

• He also confirmed that Cameron Archer will be back before the end of the season but Tom Davies is in a "similar situation" to Baldock.

• On Baldock being out of contract in the summer: "One of the players where we have a lot of thinking and talking to do. He will have options as well and part of it will be looked at from a club point of view and part from his point of view. We have really enjoyed working with him in our time here and hopefully have opportunity to work with him again."

• Wilder said there had been "zero sympathy" over Oliver Arblaster's substitution against Fulham, but the reason he was taken off was "because he couldn't move" and that he was "not happy" the youngster had played the full match in the international break.

• He added: "Do we keep him on the pitch and open up a young player to injury? When I say we had to make physical substitutions I'm not passing the buck, this is from a conditioning point of view and opening them up to injury. Tell you what - I'll keep playing him to 115 minutes, he pulls a muscle and he's out for six weeks. Lets do that, that is sensible isn't it?"

• He said there has been "mixed reaction" to the fourth goal they had ruled out against Fulham and added: "For us it kills the game. It is a key moment - 4-1 up and we're in a great position. Our second half performance deserved that. The timing of the goal gave them a huge lift and with the introduction of the players they brought on - I'm stating facts and the obvious, but this is what we're up against."

• On reports of Jamie Hoyland returning to the club as part of the recruitment team: "We have spoke to a lot of people and are going through an extensive process. The club will hopefully make a statement regarding that recruitment department. You will understand and know I am heavily involved in that with the chief executive and owner."

• On how they stop opponents Liverpool: "Good question, big question, not a lot of teams can do it. We just have to be the best that we are and have got to be resolute and defend well. We are going to have to have a big night, a huge night to get a result for us and we need big performances from everyone."

Ben Meakin
Fan writer

Every impactful performance by Oli McBurnie this season – the latest instalment saw an assist, goal and another chalked off by a marginal VAR call – throws renewed focus on the conundrum Sheffield United face in the next few months. McBurnie's five-year deal expires this summer and it's a thorny dilemma as to what the club do.

On the one hand, United are clearly a different team when McBurnie is on the pitch. His eight goal contributions puts him level with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Alexis Mac Allister, Scott McTominay and Leandro Trossard. He's been comfortably our best striker and one of the very few United players to look Premier League quality this season.

In that context, United should be locking McBurnie in a room with a new contract and not letting him out until he signs it.

The problem is availability and whether United are in a financial position to carry a high-earning injury-pone player (answer: probably not). McBurnie has started just 12 times this season, playing less than 1,000 minutes in total – a handful more than Luke Thomas who we sent back to Leicester in January.

He hasn't suffered repeated serious injuries, like Rhian Brewster, just regular niggles that mean he has not started more than three games in a row all season. It is maddening to see a struggling team repeatedly without their major attacking threat just after he’s shown us all what we’ve been missing.

It’s fair to assume McBurnie is one of the best-paid players at the club, and will probably have a decent market of suitors when his contract expires this summer. But do United really wave goodbye to their best striker, even allowing for the injury issues?

My hunch is that if Chris Wilder is still the manager – and all signs point to that being the case – then United will make a serious attempt to keep McBurnie. Several popular players will almost certainly be leaving at the end of their deals this summer, and retaining McBurnie would help ease that pain a little in the minds of fans for whom he is a popular, well-liked character.

It might prove to be out of our hands, especially if a team like Rangers – who McBurnie supports - pick up the phone at the end of June. But if the Blades can hold onto their number nine, I’ll personally be delighted every time he’s on the pitch – and tearing my hair out every time he’s not.

Ben Meakin can be found at BladesPod, external

Alex Scott introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's eight Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up on the action on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to Saturday's BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra match commentary in full:

Nottingham Forest v Crystal Palace

Aston Villa v Wolves

We asked for your thoughts on Saturday's Premier League game between Sheffield United and Fulham

Here are some of your responses:

Sheffield United fans

Mike: Thought the Blades had done enough and if VAR had not intervened I am sure they would have got three points. Second game where they have thrown away a two-goal lead. What goes on in defence? Do they talk to each other? Is it a concentration thing or a lack of quality?

Peter: The substitutions were the turning point. Why not McAtee rather than Norwood? United’s lack of depth was in stark contrast to their opponents’. Despite my disappointment the Blades’ goals were a thing of beauty - like water in a desert of a season. Roll on next season and be prepared to take a further hit for the cause of longer-term rebuilding.

Neil: Says a lot when our best defender on corners is McBurnie and we go and sub him and bring more pressure on our goal. But we showed some fight and that's what the fans want!

Fulham fans

Stephen: I've been supporting Fulham for 70 years and it's the same old story. We can play brilliantly against the top teams but when it comes to those below us in terms of league position we tend to have these moments of defensive madness that often lose us the match. At least we showed some bottle coming back from two down.

Will: I don’t think I’ve been more confident that we would win a game but even though we didn’t win what a game it was. At 3-1 it seemed all over before a De Cordova-Reid rocket, and what a goal from Muniz.

Jim: Fulham looked to be suffering from post international fatigue and just could not break Sheffield United down. The subs really changed it and Fulham could have won it at the end

Michael Emons
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

For the second league match in a row, Sheffield United threw away a two-goal lead and were left wondering how they did not record a rare Premier League victory.

After an uneventful first half, it turned into a thriller at Bramall Lane as the Blades, with one of their best performances of the season, moved into a 3-1 lead going into the 86th minute.

But, just as they did in the 2-2 draw at Bournemouth, Chris Wilder's side let the lead slip from their grasp and in the end were hanging on for a point in a remarkable period of 16 minutes added time at the end of the second half.

Having scored only 24 goals from their previous 28 Premier League matches, the Blades netted three times in a 12-minute spell, with Ben Brereton Diaz on target twice with Oliver McBurnie also on the scoresheet.

Sheffield United could have taken a 4-1 lead, only for McBurnie to have a goal ruled out for offside, with Fulham scoring their second moments later before fighting back from two goals down.

But once more it was defensive errors that proved costly. The Blades, bottom of the table, are now seven points from safety but this was a missed opportunity for what would have been a vital win.

Chris Wilder, spoke to Match of the Day after Sheffield United's draw with Fulham: "I don't think my team could've given anymore, especially in the second half where we went after the game.

"It was a slow start from us and was important we reached a clean sheet at half-time. We gave ourselves a foothold to get something out of the game and in the second half we grew in belief, scored a couple of goals and thought we were on the way to a valuable three points.

"You look at the players they are bringing on and Fulham had that ability to just give themselves a bit of an extra push and we were on the back foot. A massive moment was the fourth goal and if we had got that maybe it would've given us a better opportunity.

"I'm delighted with the attitude but obviously the result is difficult to take. Being 3-1 up, you expect your team to see the game out. The goals are poor from our point of view, with a set piece yet again.

"We were 2-0 up at Bournemouth and got done by a set piece and that gave them an opportunity to get back in the game and it was the same again. The timing of their goals were not great from our point of view.

"We will take a point and every point in the Premier League is big."

On 16 minutes being played in additional time at the end of the second half: "I'm not going to get involved in any controversy in terms of my opinions as it has already cost me. I'm a hard-working lad from Yorkshire that works hard for his money and I'm not prepared to give that money to the Premier League or anyone else."

• Sheffield United’s Oli McBurnie scored and assisted in a Premier League match for the first time in his 92nd appearance.

• Fulham have scored three goals in three of their oast four PL matches, while Sheffield United have scored three goals in a Premier League home match for the first time since they beat Chelsea 3-0 in July 2020.

• Fulham have only won one of their past 14 Premier League away matches (D5 L8). In fact, only Sheffield United have picked up fewer wins on the road (1) than Fulham’s two in the Premier League this season.

• Ben Brereton Diaz has been involved in five goals (scored four, assisted one) in his five Premier League matches for Sheffield United since joining the club in January.

• Only Liverpool (19) and Tottenham (15) have hit the woodwork more than Fulham (14) in the Premier League this season. No Fulham player has hit the woodwork more than Rodrigo Muniz (3) in the league in 2023/24.

Rodrigo Muniz scored with a spectacular injury-time bicycle kick as Fulham came back from two goals down to deny bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United a vital victory.

In the third of 14 additional minutes at the end of regulation time, Muniz connected with Adama Traore's cross in an incredible second half at Bramall Lane.

Sheffield United threw away a two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 at Bournemouth last time out and the Blades let slip another glorious winning chance, having been 3-1 ahead at the 86-minute mark.

But Fulham substitute Bobby de Cordova-Reid made an instant impact by shooting into the net from 25 yards to set up a frantic finish before Muniz grabbed his eighth goal in eight games.

The Blades had looked on course to secure what would have been only their fourth Premier League win of the season and went ahead through Ben Brereton Diaz, on loan from Villarreal, in the 58th minute.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from elsewhere?

Sheffield United fans - let us know your thoughts on the game here

How did you rate the side's performance, Fulham fans?

Follow all of the reaction here

Eight fixtures make up Saturday's Premier League action, and we will bring you every moment.

BBC Radio 5 Live commentaries:

• Nottingham Forest v Crystal Palace

• Aston Villa v Wolves

All times GMT

Listen to national and local radio commentaries and follow live text updates here

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches again this season, against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's games, he takes on Gladiators star Bionic.

Sutton's prediction: 0-2

Fulham blew Tottenham away in their last game and even though they are not quite the same force on the road, they should be too strong for Sheffield United.

Marco Silva's side have got better and better as the season has gone on and, in Rodrigo Muniz, they have got a striker who is bang in form.

We know the Blades will dig in and work hard but at the moment that is pretty much all they have got. It won't be enough.

Bionic's prediction: 0-2

Fulham have surprised a lot of people this season with the way they have gone about their business. Muniz did literally nothing for Boro when he was on loan with us last season but he cannot stop scoring at the moment.

See the full list of predictions here

Image source, Getty Images

Former Sheffield United forward Carl Asaba says that regardless of how the Blades' season pans out from this point, every member of Chris Wilder's squad has something to play for.

"There are points to be had and there are the games against the fancied teams - Tottenham and Manchester United - where we perform really well," he said, speaking on the latest episode of the Blades Heaven podcast.

"It is the biggest cliche, and it is boring, but if you do well against Fulham and can take momentum into the following game, you never know what can happen. This is the Premier League.

"We are playing Fulham and I hope there will be a really big appreciation for Tim Ream and how he treated our legend Chris Basham [after his serious injury] and the focus and intensity will be on that match because it is a huge game.

"The boys will be fired up. There's lots to play for, for the players.

"We are talking about their contracts being up and if they want to stay here, you have to play well enough. If you think you are good enough to play elsewhere, you've got to play well."

Listen to the latest episode of the Blades Heaven podcast now

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Chris Wilder has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Fulham.

Here are the key lines from the Sheffield United manager:

• George Baldock picked up a calf injury on international duty and it will be "touch and go" whether the Greece right-back is available for Saturday.

• Forward Cameron Archer and midfielder Anis Slimane are "nearly ready" to return to the matchday squad.

• He said the international break was "mentally really important because of the intensity" of fighting relegation and they are now "feeling refreshed".

• On opponents Fulham: "They are a good side, we have all seen their performances. It is not like any other league where a home game is a guaranteed win. They possess quality in their ranks but hopefully after the break it is a reset for us."

• He said "they still believe they can achieve survival" but the players "have to show desire".

• On the Blades' poor home form, he added: "If we continue the way we have over the last four or five games at home then we have no chance. We have to be defensively tighter and it is something us as staff have addressed."

• He said "they have let the supporters down" more than themselves, so it is about "giving them something to shout about" in a positive way at Bramall Lane from now on.

• He said his meeting with club owner Prince Abdullah "was very positive" and they had talks about "the medium and long-term future of the club".

Follow all of Thursday's Premier League news conferences here

Image source, Getty Images

On the latest episode of BBC Radio Sheffield's Blades Heaven podcast, former Sheffield United forward Carl Asaba heaped praise on 19-year-old midfielder Ollie Arblaster, who scored for England's Elite squad during the international break.

"His performances are brilliant. The way he played against Bournemouth was great.

"To deal with all the hype of the England Elite squad and then to go and score, it's just brilliant.

"He will get a great reception from the lads. I remember when I was here and we had Phil Jagielka breaking into the youth ranks and coming through. When we saw him after international duty, we were full of praise and admiration.

"The boys will welcome him back but also another mention should go to Louie Marsh. He had a tricky period with injuries and is such a confident lad. I saw him in pre-season and loved the way he played.

"The academy, the coaches and the infrastructure we have got is bringing through these great talents. It is really exciting."

Listen to the full episode now on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Former Sheffield United striker Carl Asaba is excited by what Chris Wilder's relationship with Blades owner Prince Abdullah means for the future of the club.

Speaking on the latest episode of BBC Radio Sheffield's Blades Heaven podcast, Asaba said: "The manager and the owner are on the same page and have come back together. They have both done great and been really positive for the club.

"Chris Wilder has managed one of the best Sheffield United teams. The purple patch and the style of football was outstanding. The owner is now the sole owner and he has taken the club in a great direction.

"We own our training ground, we own our ground and we are stabilising debts. He doesn't get the acclaim he deserves. These two powerhouses on the same page for the same outcome. It's positive."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Former Sheffield United forward Carl Asaba believes the time Chris Wilder's team have had off will benefit them going into the season run-in.

Speaking on the latest episode of the Blades Heaven podcast, Asaba explained how important it was that United got a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth last time out, back on 9 March.

"If we had lost and didn't perform well, people would have seen negativity," he said.

"There's a positivity. There were positives to hold on to and to build on from that game. It could be a positive few weeks.

"The manager and the coaches will now have been able to work with the players where it is not just working game to game [during the international break].

"It's probably more beneficial than the Christmas non-break. This has been a proper break for them where they can recuperate and work. It will have been good."

BBC Radio Sheffield's Adam Oxley agreed with Asaba, explaining that the manner of the performance against the Cherries will have given Blades fans hope.

"It does feel that it has helped everyone," he said.

"[They've] seen a bit of fight and a bit of spirit after that Arsenal game.

"Nottingham Forest have had a points deduction since. They are appealing against it, so we'll see how that goes.

"It is going to be incredibly difficult. There is still a little bit of hope there, depending on your glass but these few weeks have helped these."

Listen to the latest episode of the Blades Heaven podcast on BBC Sounds

Here are the key facts and figures before Saturday's Premier League fixture between Sheffield United and Fulham.

• Sheffield United have won just one of their five Premier League games against Fulham, though are unbeaten in both at Bramall Lane.

• The Whites are looking to complete their first league double over the Blades since 2017-18 in the Championship, and they have never beaten United twice in the same top-flight campaign.

• Fulham have won four of their past six league games, as many as in their previous 15. Four of their 11 Premier League victories this season have been by a margin of at least three goals, their joint-most in a top-flight season.

• Sheffield United are just the second side in the top four tiers of English football to have conceded five or more goals in three successive home league games after Rochdale in Division 3 North in April 1932. Moreover, in a side's first 14 home games of a season in the Football League, only Aston Villa in the top flight in 1935-36 (43) have conceded more than the Blades' 42.

• Since the start of February, Fulham's Rodrigo Muniz has scored more Premier League goals than anyone else (seven).

Ben Meakin
Fan writer

Sheffield United are one of a handful of teams in the Premier League with total certainty as to what level we will be competing at next season, so my hope is that the club - manager, players and owner - act like it.

Our Premier League fate is essentially out of our hands, but there are plenty of things that we can still control.

Here are three things I would like to see in the remaining games:

Focus on young players

These last 10 games should be a proving ground for us to discover whether our top youngsters - Andre Brooks and England Under-20 international Oli Arblaster - can be considered as viable starting options in a Championship midfield.

They have both shown promising signs, especially given the wreckage around them. It could be huge for us next season given the amount of squad turnover we are set for.

Being able to pencil in Arblaster or Brooks (or in a dream situation, both) as part of a four or five-man midfield rotation would be a big bonus.

Decide who we can make profit from

Can any of the players 'do an Aaron Ramsdale' over the rest of the season? I do not mean refusing to play in order to force a move. I mean transforming his reputation as a struggling player into someone who made a top side decide to drop £30m on him just a few months later.

Being able to flip a player for maximum value would offset a large amount of the financial hit we aree about to take from relegation. There is no obvious candidate to take that step. But then the idea that Arsenal would want Ramsdale would have been genuinely laughable six months before the transfer took place.

Can Anel Ahmedhodzic rediscover last season's form? Can Vini Souza turn the occasional dominant midfield displays into the norm for the final 10 games?

Whose party can we crash?

With not much left to lose for United this season, how about drawing a line under this campaign by ruining someone else's?

Part of the fun of football is lording it over the opposition, as virtually every away fan to come to Bramall Lane this season can attest.

So how about United sign off by making someone else's supporters feel just as miserable as we have for most of this campaign?

Stopping Liverpool’s title charge in its tracks at Anfield feels fanciful, to say the least. But we do still have games against relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest and Everton, plus a final day match-up with Champions League-chasing Tottenham.

We've had our noses rubbed in it all too often this season, so getting the chance to turn the tables just for one afternoon could be a lovely morale-booster heading into the summer.

Ben Meakin can be found on BladesPod, external

BBC Sport pundit Michael Brown will be answering your questions, giving his insight and opinion around your club.

So what would you like to ask the former Premier League midfielder?

How does the rest of your season look? Who has been your best player? What does the manager's future hold?

Let us know what you want answered by sending in your questions here

Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield reporter

Speaking to Stephen Bettis on our show this week added some perspective to what has been a difficult season for Sheffield United. We have six clubs on our patch. Any of the other five would love to have spent three of the last five seasons in the top flight. That shouldn't be forgotten, as United fans deal with how tough things have been.

The elite level of English football is stronger than ever. When teams are capable of winning European trophies last term, placing themselves in the top-eight this season, and are still being blown away by the likes of Arsenal - it shows the magnitude of the challenge. Luton deserve credit for putting up a real fight but it might not be enough. They might be the beneficiary of the points deduction situation in the Premier League. But they also might just come back down with Burnley, who spent a fortune, and the Blades.

Nobody would suggest United have got everything right. They also haven't got everything wrong. According to Bettis, promotion has sorted the finances out. They have big plans for a new training ground. Young players continue to come into the first team. They have assets on their playing staff.

Bettis fronted up and was prepared to answer some challenging questions from fans. Few CEO's do that these days.

A rebuild and reset may be on the way. There might be more pain to come against the bigger clubs before the season ends. But this is far from a club letting anyone down.

Image source, Getty Images

Sheffield United CEO, Stephen Bettis, spent an hour on BBC Radio Sheffield for the Blades Heaven podcast. He took questions from BBC reporters and club supporters in what proved to be an illuminating discussion.

Question: Is it worth taking the gamble of losing players for free when trying to stay up?

"Is there a guarantee that we stay up at that point? There is no guarantee is there? You look at Nottingham Forest, they have signed 42 players and spent £250m since they have been in the league and they're still looking downwards, not upwards."

Question: What are the plans for the summer and next season? Will we keep Chris Wilder if we go down and will we use the parachute payments to spend wisely if we get relegated?

"That's the plan, to use them wisely. Let's be completely honest, we have the potential to lose maybe one or two players because they won't want to play in the Championship. We have to be mindful of that but the players in my head that I'm thinking of are actually on long-term contracts so if they want to go, we want to get the right money for them.

"We'll use that money and the money we get from the parachute payments to actually strengthen the squad for next season. Chris [Wilder] is under contract and will be here and the whole point of recruiting Chris at the time, I think was that when we made the change from Hecky [Paul Heckingbottom], we knew that Chris understood the club, understood the DNA, understood the culture and understood the way to move it forward and if the worst happened and we did still go down, he's got a proven track record of getting us back out so there's no better man for the job.

"The reality of it is, there's no pressure or expectation on Chris for the rest of this season to do anything in terms of results for us so that's not going to affect whether he is here next season or not."

Listen to the Blades Heaven podcast on BBC Sounds