On Saturday, 13th April, in the 33rd round of the Premier League, Brentford will host Sheffield United. The "Bees" are in a prolonged crisis, having not tasted victory in nine consecutive games. Meanwhile, the "Blades" have nearly succumbed to the inevitability of relegation, now playing without tournament tension.
Brentford: Flekken; Zanka, Collins, Ajer; Roerslev, Onyeka, Jensen, Janelt, Reguilon; Mbeumo, Toney.
Sheffield United: Grbic; Holgate, Ahmedhodzic, Trusty; Bogle, Souza, Norwood, Hamer, Osborn; Brereton Diaz, McBurnie.
The showdown will take place in London at the Brentford Community Stadium.
Brentford is facing relegation this season, occupying an uncharacteristic 15th position in the Premier League standings, only four points from the drop zone. Failing to win in the last nine rounds (four draws and five losses), Thomas Frank's team understandably worries its fans. However, since returning from the international break in March, their form has improved; they've secured draws three times with Manchester United (1:1), Brighton (0:0), and Aston Villa last weekend (3:3).
In the final half-hour of the game, the Birmingham side lead by two goals, but Mathias Jorgensen, Bryan Mbeumo, and Yoane Wissa turned the match around before Ollie Watkins restored parity on the scoreboard at the very end. Since September 2017, the hosts have not had a ten-match run without victories in the championship, so motivation won't be lacking for the red-whites this Saturday.
Sheffield United languishes at the bottom of the table with just 16 points from 31 games. With a single game in hand and 9 points separating the "Blades" from 17th place Nottingham Forest, the Striped ones have no illusions about their chances to avoid relegation. The guests have won just once, drawn five times and lost nine times in their last 15 games.
After a defeat against Liverpool (3:1), Chris Wilder's charges managed to snatch a draw from Chelsea last weekend (2:2). Jayden Bogle scored his first goal since August last year in between goals from Thiago Silva and Noni Madueke, before Oli McBurnie equalised in the 93rd minute – it was his sixth goal at home this season. Meanwhile, Sheffield has as expected the fewest away points (total of six) in the Premier League this campaign.
The "Blades" have beaten Brentford in each of their last three encounters with an aggregate score of 6:3, and the first round duel also ended in the underdog's favour (1:0).
While Sheffield United has somewhat sprung to life in the recent rounds, it's doubtful the visitors will be able to stop a Brentford side motivated by recent defeats, especially as the Londoners' injury list is gradually shrinking. The hosts are only 4 points clear of the drop zone, and they simply cannot afford to stumble in a home match against the league's main outsider. My prediction is a victory for the favourite.
Brentford has scored 25 goals in 16 home games this season, while the "Blades" have the league's worst defence: 35 goals conceded in 15 away matches. My prediction is for the home team's ITO (Individual Total Over) to exceed 1.5 goals.
With the support of their home crowd, Brentford will play as the superior side and will attack a lot, so we're confidently backing the hosts on corners.
Sheffield averages 3 yellow cards per game, and the Blades will have to foul often against the technical attacking players of the opposition.
I'm placing a bet for a precise score of 2:1 in Brentford's favour.
# | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | G | PTS | |
1 | Liverpool | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 21:6 | 28 | |
2 | Manchester City | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 22:13 | 23 | |
3 | Chelsea | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 21:13 | 19 | |
4 | Arsenal | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 18:12 | 19 | |
5 | Nottingham | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 15:10 | 19 | |
6 | Brighton | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 19:15 | 19 | |
7 | Fulham | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 16:13 | 18 | |
8 | Newcastle | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 13:11 | 18 | |
9 | Aston Villa | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 17:17 | 18 | |
10 | Tottenham | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 23:13 | 16 | |
11 | Brentford | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 22:22 | 16 | |
12 | Bournemouth | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 15:15 | 15 | |
13 | Manchester Utd | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 12:12 | 15 | |
14 | West Ham | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | -6 | 13:19 | 12 | |
15 | Leicester | 11 | 2 | 4 | 5 | -7 | 14:21 | 10 | |
16 | Everton | 11 | 2 | 4 | 5 | -7 | 10:17 | 10 | |
17 | Ipswich | 11 | 1 | 5 | 5 | -10 | 12:22 | 8 | |
18 | Crystal Palace | 11 | 1 | 4 | 6 | -7 | 8:15 | 7 | |
19 | Wolves | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | -11 | 16:27 | 6 | |
20 | Southampton | 11 | 1 | 1 | 9 | -14 | 7:21 | 4 | |
1 | Brentford | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18:11 | 16 | |
2 | Liverpool | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11:3 | 15 | |
3 | Manchester City | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12:6 | 13 | |
4 | Brighton | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11:8 | 12 | |
5 | Tottenham | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16:6 | 12 | |
6 | Arsenal | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12:6 | 11 | |
7 | Fulham | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9:7 | 10 | |
8 | Newcastle | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5:3 | 10 | |
9 | Bournemouth | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8:4 | 10 | |
10 | Manchester Utd | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7:8 | 10 | |
11 | Chelsea | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9:8 | 9 | |
12 | Nottingham | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7:6 | 8 | |
13 | Aston Villa | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7:6 | 8 | |
14 | West Ham | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 8:10 | 7 | |
15 | Leicester | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5:7 | 5 | |
16 | Everton | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5:8 | 5 | |
17 | Crystal Palace | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3:7 | 5 | |
18 | Wolves | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 9:14 | 4 | |
19 | Southampton | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4:8 | 4 | |
20 | Ipswich | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4:8 | 3 | |
1 | Liverpool | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10:3 | 13 | |
2 | Nottingham | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8:4 | 11 | |
3 | Manchester City | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 10:7 | 10 | |
4 | Chelsea | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12:5 | 10 | |
5 | Aston Villa | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 10:11 | 10 | |
6 | Arsenal | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6:6 | 8 | |
7 | Fulham | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7:6 | 8 | |
8 | Newcastle | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8:8 | 8 | |
9 | Brighton | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8:7 | 7 | |
10 | Bournemouth | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7:11 | 5 | |
11 | Manchester Utd | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5:4 | 5 | |
12 | West Ham | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5:9 | 5 | |
13 | Leicester | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 9:14 | 5 | |
14 | Everton | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5:9 | 5 | |
15 | Ipswich | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 8:14 | 5 | |
16 | Tottenham | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 7:7 | 4 | |
17 | Crystal Palace | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5:8 | 2 | |
18 | Wolves | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7:13 | 2 | |
19 | Brentford | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4:11 | 0 | |
20 | Southampton | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3:13 | 0 |
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