Sheffield United Vs Southampton
Sheffield United Vs Southampton Saturday 6th March 2021 – 15:00 (BT Sport)
English Premier League
Pick: Sheffield United or Draw
Odds: 4/5
Bookmaker: MansionBet
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 4th March 2021)
Preview: A return to the Championship seems inevitable for the Premier League’s bottom side, Sheffield United. The Blades can still have a big say on which teams join them in England’s second tier, with Southampton – without a win in the league for nine games – among a clutch of sides who are by no means safe.
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Table of Contents
Sheffield United – Bottom side still up for the fight?
Despite his team sitting 15 points from safety before Wednesday’s match against Aston Villa, Sheffield United (W4 D2 L21) manager Chris Wilder was adamant his players would not be waving the white flag between now and the end of the season. So there might have been a wry smile on the face of the United boss come full-time, at which point his side had held on to record just their fourth league win of 2020-21.
That hard-earned victory, coming after playing the final half-hour with a numerical disadvantage following Phil Jagielka’s harsh sending off, was reminiscent of the gutsy displays witnessed on a regular basis last season, when they finished ninth on their return to the top-flight. Ending a run of four straight league defeats in the process while also closing the gap on 17th-placed Newcastle, and safety, to twelve points.
Meanwhile, the last time the Blades recorded successive wins at home in the league was during Project Restart, in July 2020, when Wilder oversaw four consecutive wins in South Yorkshire. That more than they have so far managed in the whole of 2020-21 (W3 D1 L10). All three home victories this season, though, have come in 2021, claiming three wins in six home encounters since the turn of the year.
Southampton – Sleepwalking into relegation trouble?
Top of the table in November. Considered dark horses for the top-four as recently as 4 January, when they were still in sixth after a 1-0 home win over champions Liverpool. What followed has been the astonishing decline from a side that appeared to be treading in the right direction, under a positive-thinking manager, only to endure a brutal 2021 thus far. Culminating in last Monday’s to nil loss away at Everton.
Excitement at the idea of turning out in one of Europe’s major club tournaments has turned to anxiety at the prospect of relegation, something that would have seemed unthinkable until recently. The Saints (W8 D6 L12) are currently seven points clear of danger, however, a return of one point from the last 27 on offer (D1 L8) has the alarms ringing, with all the sides below them picking up more in this timeframe.
Among them are rock-bottom Sheffield United, who Southampton beat with something to spare in December in a 3-0 win at St Mary’s. This after doing the double over the Blades in 2019/20, claiming a hard-fought 1-0 success at Bramall Lane. However, the Saints are currently winless in seven Premier League away matches (D2 L5), losing the last five on the spin with four being to nil.
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Sheffield United Vs Southampton Betting Advice
With no win in nine top-flight fixtures (D1 L8), Southampton are uneasy favourites to clinch a first win since the start of January. Since then, Sheffield United have managed four victories. The Blades beating Man Utd at Old Trafford as well as Aston Villa, Newcastle and West Brom here at Bramall Lane. That form alone has to stand the hosts in good stead, even if their record in this fixture since the start of 2019-20 stinks (L3).
Sheffield United Vs Southampton – Key Facts:
- Since their last Premier League victory, a 1-0 win at St Mary’s against reigning league champions Liverpool on 4 January, Southampton have gone nine league games without a win (D1 L8).
- The Saints have lost all of their last five away league games, four of them to nil. Conversely, Sheffield United boast three wins in their last six at home (W3 L3).
- Sheffield United are yet to register a point against Southampton since returning to the top-flight in 2019/20 (L3), losing last season’s Bramall Lane encounter 1-0.
The Saints are in serious danger of sleepwalking into a relegation fight, especially with a trip to Man City up next. Saturday’s fixture is suddenly of the utmost importance. Their recent results on the road, meanwhile, are extremely poor: no win in seven, losing all of the last five with four being to nil. It is that form, rather than their positive head-to-head record, which makes them vulnerable favourites this weekend.
Best Betting Odds – Sheffield United Vs Southampton
Sheffield United – 11/4 (BetVictor)
Draw – 13/5 (Unibet)
Southampton – 11/10 (Betfair)
