Sheffield United (A) Pre-match thoughts, team news, possible line-ups & prediction
From the San Siro to the mean streets of South Yorkshire, Newcastle take on newly-promoted Sheffield United this Sunday.
We came away from Milan with a precious point on Tuesday, giving us a platform to build on in the Champions League. However, the next week will test our ability to cope on two or three fronts, with tomorrow's Premier League game followed by a Carabao Cup clash with Man City next Wednesday.
Last Saturday's 1-0 win over Brentford wasn't pretty - nor was our 0-0 at AC Milan in midweek - but they were two superb results and just what we needed after three straight defeats.
Leaving Bramall Lane with a win on Sunday would be big on a few fronts. Not only to build momentum in the league, but prove to Eddie Howe and the players that we can cope with the demands of European and Premier League football.
Physically, can we go again and outwork a tough Sheffield United side? Mentally, can we refocus after Tuesday's huge occasion? Technically, will we show more quality in possession and tactically, can Howe get it right to help us pose more of a threat in the final third? Plenty of questions - hopefully the answers are an overwhelming yes come 6pm tomorrow.
Team news
Joelinton (knee) will miss out once again alongside Joe Willock (Achilles) and Emil Krafth (ACL). Elsewhere, Eddie Howe accepted rotation will be needed - without making 'wholesale changes' - due to our busy schedule and Tuesday's energy-sapping trip to Italy.
For the hosts, Oli McBurnie is facing a one-game ban following his red card in their late defeat to Spurs, but sidelined are Ben Osborn, Max Lowe, John Fleck, Rhian Brewster, Daniel Jebbison, George Baldock and Will Osula.
Predicted line ups
(4-3-3): Pope – Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn – Longstaff, Bruno, Anderson - Almiron, Wilson, Barnes.
I think we'll see Callum Wilson, Miguel Almiron and Harvey Barnes definitely return to the starting 11 after they were benched at the San Siro.
Wilson was our matchwinner last weekend and could be better suited to facing Sheffield United's likely low block. Anthony Gordon looked jaded at Milan and has started every game so far, so I can see Barnes replacing him down the right.
Almiron hasn't started either of our last two games, so he's fresh and expected to start down the right. I can see a front three of Barnes, Wilson and Almiron, but find it tough say who'll partner Longstaff and Bruno in midfield. Sandro Tonali hasn't trained a great deal and didn't look fully fit at Milan, so I'll go with Anderson; who played 90 minutes last weekend in our 1-0 win over Brentford.
At the back, there’s been calls for Tino Livramento or Lewis Hall to play, I just don’t think Howe will alter a defence that’s just banked back-to-back clean sheets. After our 3-1 defeat at Brighton, we’d kept just two in our previous 22 games, so I think we’ll see the same back five and rotation at the back for next week’s Carabao Cup clash with Man City.
Predicted Sheffield United XI: Foderingham, Ahmedhodzic, Egan, Robinson - Bogle, Souza, Norwood, Hamer, Thomas - McAtee - Archer.
Ones to watch: Two that stand out to me are summer signings Cameron Archer and Gustavo Hamer. The former is a brilliant finisher who comes alive in the box, although it'll be interesting to see how he works without big man Ollie McBurnie. Hamer has been their most impressive player so far this season. He's scored twice in four appearances, loves a shot from range and has shone since sealing a £15m move from Coventry.
Prediction
The Blades have just one point from their opening five games, but they've been competitive in all of those. They came close to beating Spurs last weekend - conceding TWICE in stoppage time to lose 2-1 - and almost held Man City at home, losing 2-1 thanks to Rodri's 88th minute winner.
However, Paul Heckingbottom is believe to be under pressure and the players will be hurting after that late collapse at Spurs. I expect this to be another fairly tight game, just hope - and believe - we'll come into this one buoyed by big results against Brentford and AC Milan.
Barnes and Wilson to score in a solid away win for Eddie Howe's Mags.
Prediction: Sheffield United 0-2 Newcastle
HWTL!
