Sheffield United - Brighton and Hove Albion predictions and free betting tips [18/02/2024]

Today as part of the 25th round of the Premier League, Sheffield United will host Brighton on their home ground. Last weekend, the Blades outdid Luton with a score of 1:3 while the Seagulls suffered a setback by Tottenham, conceding the deciding goal in the final minutes.

Projected Lineups

Sheffield United: Foderingham; Bogle, Robinson, Ahmedhodzic, Holgate, Lowe; McAtee, Hamer, Souza, Osborn; Archer.
Brighton: Steele; Lamptey, Dunk, Van Hecke, Estupinan; Gilmour, Gross; Fati, Buonanotte, Mitoma; Welbeck.

Sheffield United

Returning to the top flight last summer, Sheffield United is heading straight to relegation into the Championship: the team is at the very bottom of the Premier League table, with just 13 points to its account in 24 rounds. With a game in hand and trailing 17th place Luton by 7 points, the Blades managed to beat the Hatters 1:3 at home last weekend, ending a league winless streak of seven games (2 draws and 5 losses). The Blades went into the break leading 2:0 thanks to well-executed strikes from Cameron Archer and James McAtee; Carlton Morris reduced the gap with a penalty following a foul by Vinicius Souza, who quickly made amends by reinstating Sheffield's two-goal advantage. It's worth highlighting that only West Bromwich (32) let in more goals than the Blades (31) in the inaugural 12 home games of the 2020-21 season.

Moreover, the Blades haven't won consecutive Premier League matches since July 2020. In the squad, Sheffield still lack captain Egan, defenders Basham and Baldock, recently signed goalkeeper Grbic, and rookie Jebbison. They also might be without key forward McBurnie (4 goals) who's still recovering after an injury. Souza, who greatly contributed to Sheffield's victory over Luton last weekend, is expected to start; seasoned striker Archer (4 goals) may assist him. Winger Brereton Diaz (2 goals in 3 matches) was missing in the last round due to injury but has returned to the main squad this past week. The same goes for Everton's Holgate, who's emerged as a defensive leader since his transfer. During the January transfer window, Beni Traore (Nantes) and defender Luke Thomas (Leicester) were loaned out, whilst midfielder Fleck has moved to Blackburn.

Brighton

Currently, Brighton is 9th in the Premier League and is struggling to compete for the Europa league, however, depending on which teams claim national cup victories, there might be extra slots open for continental competitions. Having won just once in their last five rounds, the Seagulls are still mired. After conquering Crystal Palace 4:1, Brighton lost to Tottenham 2:1. Pascal Gross put the Seagulls ahead with a penalty, but Pape Sar equalised in the 61st minute, while Brennan Johnson sealed the win in stoppage time. What's more troublesome for fans is the following statistic: Brighton secured only two points out of a possible 18 in their last six away encounters.

For Brighton, key striker Joao Pedro, Ensiso, veteran Milner, and winger March are anticipated to miss out. Adingra, who was part of the Ivory Coast squad that won the Africa Cup last weekend, could return to the starting eleven. Japanese forward Mitoma, who featured against Tottenham, is also expected to be at the helm of the attack; in Joao Pedro's absence (8 goals and 2 assists), either Welbeck (2 goals) or Ferguson (6 goals) will lead the strike force. During the January transfer window, midfielder Dahoud transferred to Stuttgart, while promising left-back Valentin Barco (19 years old) from Boca Junior signed a contract with the Seagulls and could make his debut this weekend.

Head-to-Head

The Blades haven't defeated Brighton in the Premier League since the 2004-05 campaign. The first-round match ended in a 1:1 draw, while in the 1/16 final of the League Cup, the Seagulls outclassed their opponents 2:5.

Prediction for the Sheffield United – Brighton match

While it is uncertain if Sheffield United's resounding victory over Luton will stimulate a comeback, belief in a consecutive triumph for the Blades this Sunday is rather low. Brighton, motivated to secure a spot in the Europa league, simply cannot afford to lose again, or there is a risk of them getting stuck mid-table. My prediction is a victory for the favourite.