Sheffield United

BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton has made his predictions for all 32 ties in the FA Cup third round and given his verdict on who will make it into round four.

For this weekend's matches he is up against singer-songwriter and Liverpool fan Banners.

Sutton's prediction: 0-1

The biggest problem Gillingham have is finding the net - they are the lowest scorers in League Two with only 21 goals in 25 games. Their manager Stephen Clemence is the son of Ray, who won the FA Cup twice, but I think this is the end of his run this year.

People talk about the number of changes that teams will make for these ties, especially the Premier League sides, but Sheffield United have got players who need minutes to get back to full fitness, so they should put out a strong team here.

The Blades are bottom of the Premier League and have not won away all season, so any win on the road is an important one, and will help them gather a bit of momentum. They reached the semi-finals last season, so it would totally demoralise their fanbase if they went to Priestfield and lost there too.

Banners' prediction: 2-1

Click here for the full list of predictions

Image source, Getty Images

The draw for the FA Cup fourth round will take place on Monday, 8 January before the third-round tie between Wigan Athletic and Manchester United, which is being televised by ITV.

The 16 fourth-round games will be scheduled across the weekend of Saturday, 27 January.

We asked for your thoughts on Sheffield United's first signing of the January transfer window.

Here are some of your replies:

Jon: I would have been excited by this loan signing in summer but, given our pretty certain relegation and no option to buy, this seems a waste of money.

Ade: Brereton Diaz is a good signing. Hopefully there will be more because the centre-backs this season haven't been good enough at all, neither have the midfielders. Pretty much all of the summer transfers have disappointed and Souza, who is supposed to be the midfield enforcer, couldn't take dinner money from a schoolkid.

Blade forever: Brereton Diaz should have been one of the summer targets. It seems a bit too little, too late, but still he is an exciting addition.

Donny: A decent recruit. He proved himself in the Championship, so let's see how he gets on in the Premier League.

Image source, Getty Images

Ben Brereton Diaz has said he "can't wait to get started" at Bramall Lane after joining Sheffield United on loan from Spanish side Villarreal.

Brereton Diaz, who excelled at Championship level for Blackburn before moving to La Liga in the summer, said: "As soon as I knew there was interest, I spoke to a few people and we got it done quickly.

"I wasn't really playing out there and was told I could go out on loan, so it is great to be over in England now at such a great club - a club I know well through playing against.

"I spoke to Chris [Wilder] on the phone and he was telling me about what the team stands for; hard work, desire and things like that. That's something I enjoy, and it was something I wanted to be part of.

"Coming here is great for myself. Playing in the Premier League is something you dream of as a young boy so that's great for me and I just can't wait to get started."

Image source, Reuters

Sheffield United have made their first new signing of the January transfer window, adding striker Ben Brereton Diaz to their squad on loan from Spanish club Villarreal until the end of the season.

The Chile international, 24, moved to Spain at the start of the season when his contract with Championship club Blackburn Rovers expired, but he is yet to score in La Liga for Villarreal.

He netted 38 goals for Rovers in his final two seasons at Ewood Park before his departure.

Subject to international clearance, he may be available to face Gillingham in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.

What do you make of the signing, Blades fans? Can he be the catalyst to keep Wilder's side up? Let us know here

Image source, Reuters

Sheffield United striker Benie Traore has joined Nantes on a loan deal until the end of the season.

The deal also includes an option to buy for the French top-flight club.

The 21-year-old, who joined the Blades during the summer from Swedish side Hacken, has made nine appearances in all competitions this season.

His last appearance for United came against Liverpool in December.

Midfielder Harrison Neal has also departed Bramall Lane to join League One side Carlisle United on a permanent deal.

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has been speaking to the media before their FA Cup third round tie at Gillingham on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Here are the main lines from his news conference:

• Wilder refused to comment on the reports that a deal for Villarreal striker Ben Brereton Diaz is close to being completed.

• But he added: "We are still working on some targets that will aid us in the second part of the season."

• Wilder confirmed it will not be "six, seven or eight players coming in" but two or three and those players must be good enough to go "straight into the team" to help make them better.

• On a search for a new goalkeeper: "I am assessing all the squad. It is you guys that come up with the names and positions. From when I have taken over, I have never once mentioned anything position specific or from a name point of view."

• Asked about players leaving the club, he added: "There is always something to play for as a player - some grab that opportunity and some do not. You have to make those decisions pretty quickly."

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live match commentary of Gillingham v Sheffield United at 15:00 on Saturday

• This is the first FA Cup meeting between Gillingham and Sheffield United, and their first encounter in any competition since a 2-2 draw in January 2017 in League One.

• Gillingham have lost nine of their past 11 FA Cup ties against Premier League opponents, with the exceptions being a 3-2 win over Charlton Athletic in 2003-04 and a 1-0 win against Cardiff City in 2018-19.

• The Blades have progressed from 18 of their past 19 FA Cup ties against sides from a lower division than them, with the exception being a 1-0 loss to non-league Barnet in 2018-19.

• Gillingham's Tom Nichols has been involved in eight goals in his past seven FA Cup appearances, scoring five and assisting three. He’s also either scored (two) or assisted (one) a goal in three of his four appearances against Premier League sides in the competition.

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live match commentary of Gillingham v Sheffield United at 15:00 GMT on Saturday

Sheffield United are close to signing Villarreal's 24-year-old Chile forward Ben Brereton Diaz on loan for the rest of the season. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Some 14 FA Cup ties will be available to either watch or listen to live on the BBC over third round weekend, which runs from 4 January to 8 January.

We'll bring you four televised matches across BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Red Button - with all also available to watch on the BBC Sport website and app.

And you'll also be able to listen to 12 commentaries on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.

Thursday, 4 January

• Crystal Palace v Everton (20:00) - 5 Live

Friday, 5 January

• Fulham v Rotherham United (19:30) - 5 Sports Extra

• Tottenham v Burnley (20:0) - 5 Live

Saturday, 6 January

• Millwall v Leicester City (12:30) - 5 Sports Extra

• Sunderland v Newcastle United (12:45) - 5 Live

• Gillingham v Sheffield United (15:00) - 5 Live

• Southampton v Walsall (15:00) - 5 Sports Extra

• Middlesbrough v Aston Villa (17:30) - 5 Live

• Chelsea v Preston (17:30) - 5 Sports Extra

Sunday, 7 January

• Peterborough v Leeds United (14:00) - 5 Live

• Luton Town v Bolton Wanderers (14:00) - 5 Sports Extra

Monday, 8 January

• Wigan v Manchester United (20:15) - 5 Live

All kick-off times listed are GMT

Ben Meakin, BladesPod, external

After a disappointing festive period where Sheffield United twice let leads slip in games that looked won, the FA Cup provides a welcome distraction from our rock-bottom placing in the Premier League table.

Last season was the point where I swore never to turn my nose up at a cup run again, as United successfully juggled a journey to an FA Cup semi-final with a powerful end to the season in the league that saw us comfortably clinch promotion.

That seemed to dispel any of the old adages about cup runs being a distraction from league form. And, of course, United have little league form of which to speak at this stage.

Opta’s model, external has the Blades as 98% likely for relegation following our latest Premier League defeat - so really, what’s to lose by having a go in the FA Cup?

That’s not to say that the strongest United side will automatically beat Gillingham in the third round - although a game against League Two's lowest scorers is about as kind a draw as possible at this stage.

I'll be really disappointed if we're not at least treating this game as the starting point for salvaging some pride out of 2023-24.

Sheffield United are pushing to sign Villareal and Chile striker Ben Brereton Diaz, 24, as well as Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, 37, from Anderlecht. (Mail, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

We asked for your thoughts on what business Sheffield United need to do during the January transfer window.

Here are some of your replies:

Mike: We must have a vision. Either focus on building for next season, signing a couple of young players and try to sort out our dreadful contract situation, or sign two or three players who will make a difference to this season in key positions such as goalkeeper and up front. Personally, I'd go for the first option, but I only want to have a clear strategy.

Stuart: A new keeper. Wes did really well last year and is a great shot stopper, but more and more mistakes are creeping in. We need more quality, we have so little of the ball, we need better players to hold onto the ball and create.

Matt: Strengthen our defensive midfield as our combo of Norwood and Souza is poor. We need to offload at least four players, we have four left wing-backs in the club, including a loan, getting rid of Larouci and Thomas is a must. A Premier League-quality keeper for the long term would go a long way too. Players back from injury and signing out-of-contract players would help so much.

Sheffield United want to sign a goalkeeper on loan in January, with Anderlecht's 37-year-old Denmark international Kasper Schmeichel a potential target. (Sun), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

With the transfer window about to open again, we want to know what business you think Sheffield United need to do.

Who should they buy? Who should they sell? And who should they keep?

Have your say here

Former Sheffield United striker Carl Asaba believes new Blades manager Chris Wilder has "so much to adjust before he can put his real stamp on the team".

United lost 2-0 at Manchester City on Saturday and remain seven points from safety.

"I know the manager and the players and they're going to be seething because both goals were stoppable," he told BBC Radio Sheffield's Blades Heaven podcast.

"The first goal, you wouldn't accept that against any team. For it to be allowed to happen against Manchester City of all teams, a team who you get beaten by if you throw yourself in.

"You have to be committed, stop them running at you, stop them shooting. You have to do something a little bit over the top - not the opposite, backing off and backing off and giving one of the best midfielders in the world a free shot.

"The manager doesn't want to be pulling them up - it should be second nature. Someone's running at the goal, stop them - it's simple.

"He's got so much to adjust before he can put his real stamp on the team because these are basic things that shouldn't be happening.

"Every time the ball went back to the keeper's feet it was horrible. These are things you don't need. You should be comfortable with the ball and making tackles at Premier League level."

Listen to Blades Heaven on BBC Sounds

We asked you for your post-match thoughts after Manchester City and Sheffield United locked horns on Saturday at Etihad Stadium.

Here are some of the top comments:

Man City fans

Tim: City were sublime. Sheffield United were resilient but just couldn’t keep up.

Godfrey: I am 100% sure that my team Manchester City will win the Premier League.

Adam: This match won't live long in the memory, but it's exactly the kind of nondescript win City needed. A first clean sheet in the league for two months is also very welcome.

Eric: Second half was the most boring game I have ever watched. Our goal average is not great. I hope it doesn’t come to that.

Sheff Utd fans

Stephen: Not enough quality - they were preparing for the Championship before the season began! Who sells their best players before a ball has been kicked? Add on bad luck and you are doomed. As a Blades fan, it is normal service!

Liv's Dad: We offer little in the way of attack. We struggle to play out and Wes Foderingham seems to lump it long. No real threat up front so teams probably don't even look at our line-up.

Pete: Getting a little better but, truthfully, they are going to be relegated if they don’t get some wins soon.

Tom: I am tired of watching the Blades giving passive performances and being seemingly happy with low-score defeats. We look like a League Two side at present and it is very sad to see.

John: City never broke sweat - it was like a training game.

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's six 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 match commentaries in full on BBC Sounds:

• Aston Villa 3-2 Burnley

• Nottingham Forest 2-1 Manchester United

BBC Sport's Chris Bevan at Etihad Stadium

They may be bottom of the table and seven points adrift of safety with the worst goal difference by some distance of any top-flight team, but Sheffield United’s current mood is certainly not one of doom and gloom.

No Premier League team has stayed up after earning as few points as the Blades have from their first 20 games but, speaking after his side’s defeat at Manchester City, boss Chris Wilder seemed up for the fight, and says his players are too.

While it is clear the Blades need to improve to have a chance of climbing out of the bottom three, Wilder thinks that will happen in January, when he works with his squad, gets some key players back and makes some signings.

“We have got an important FA Cup tie [against Gillingham] that we are going to attack and then we have got Premier League games coming up at the back end of the window,” Wilder, who took charge on 6 December, said.

“Hopefully in terms of personnel we will have the likes of Anel [Ahmedhodzic] and Gus [Hamer] back, and James Mcatee too, who are three huge players for us and walk into our team.

“Plus we will have Tom Davies a little bit closer to fitness, a player who has got Premier League experience, and there will be more minutes for Rhys Norrington-Davies and Rhian Brewster, and also Olie McBurnie after the injuries he’s had.

“And then on top of that, we are looking at bringing two or three in.

“So, I 100% believe that the group will be stronger the next time we turn out in the Premier League [against West Ham on 21 January] through precious time on the training ground, through additions to the group and through players that will be available.

"We go again, and let’s have a right go in the second part of the season.”