On Sunday, 19 May, Sheffield United will host Tottenham in the 38th round of the Premier League. Ange Postecoglou was furious after the 0:2 defeat to Manchester City midweek, while the Blades have long lost any chance of salvation and are firmly anchored at the bottom of the standings.
Sheffield United sits at the bottom of the Premier League standings, with just 16 points from 37 rounds. The Blades have endured a nightmarish season after their return to the top flight and have officially lost any chance of survival for several weeks now. They have failed to win their last 13 matches (3 draws and 10 losses), leaving Chris Wilder’s men demoralised.
The Blades have suffered defeats to Brentford (2:0), Burnley (1:4), Manchester United (4:2), Newcastle (5:1), Nottingham Forest (1:3), and Everton last weekend (1:0), with a single goal from Doucouré deciding the match in the first half. Sheffield set an all-time Premier League record with 101 goals conceded in a single season and have not kept a clean sheet since early December. Furthermore, Sheffield is the worst team in the league in terms of points earned at home (just 10 in 18 matches, 19 goals scored, 54 conceded).
Occupying 5th place in the Premier League table and trailing the top four by 5 points, Tottenham have already lost any chance of securing a Champions League spot. The Londoners hope to maintain their current position, as Chelsea are breathing down their necks (3 points behind with a worse goal difference), so a draw on Sunday would secure Ange Postecoglou’s side a Europa League spot.
After four consecutive defeats, Spurs barely managed to edge past crisis-hit Burnley 2:1 last weekend. However, this week, the home fans witnessed a 0:2 loss to Manchester City. The Spurs held their ground for more than a half, but Erling Haaland put the Citizens ahead in the 51st minute with a Kevin De Bruyne assist, and the Norwegian added a second in stoppage time. Tottenham has the sixth-best away record in the league (24 points in 18 matches, 33 goals scored, 34 conceded).
Tottenham’s last trip to Bramall Lane in last year’s FA Cup ended in an embarrassing 1:0 loss; however, in September, the Spurs took revenge with a hard-fought Premier League victory (2:1).
Postecoglou’s emotional outburst midweek might have been more directed towards Spurs fans than his team. Nonetheless, the Spurs should be motivated to end the season on a high note with a convincing victory. Sheffield has had a dreadful campaign, finishing deservedly at the bottom—the Blades are unlikely to perform a miracle in the final round. My prediction is a triumph for the London giants with a -1 handicap.
Sheffield concedes an average of three goals per game and continues to struggle with defensive injuries. A bet on the Spurs’ individual total over 2 goals looks promising.
Tottenham will dominate the game and attack more frequently. Expect the visitors to win on corners with a -1.5 handicap.
Sheffield is the most aggressive team in the current Premier League season, averaging nearly three yellow cards per match—they will likely meet this norm again on Sunday.
I’ll bet on a precise score of 1:3 in favour of Tottenham.
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