Sheffield Utd vs Crystal Palace Prediction, Preview, Team News and Betting Tips
Sheffield Utd vs Crystal Palace Premier League
Sheffield United look every inch a team that simply wants this season to end, and after a 4-0 defeat vs Tottenham last Sunday, the relegated ‘Blades’ have now averaged exactly 0.5 points per game to date. That puts the class of 2020/21 on course for 19 points, and status as the sixth Premier League (PL) team ever to finish with under 20 points.
They can prevent that with a victory here, which would see them win their first PL home game of a calendar month for the fourth time within a possible five such matches in 2021. Sheffield’s last two home league wins have ended 1-0 – courtesy of goals inside the opening 30 minutes – despite them losing the possession stakes by a margin of over 35% in both games.
After three straight defeats, Crystal Palace need to arrest a rut of their own if they want to have any chance of a top-half finish. Yet, they can take heart from knowing that their five-game PL form against teams that entered the new week in the bottom four reads: W4, D1, with January’s reverse H2H being amongst the three wins therein to see them lead at HT.
Although they face the league’s bluntest attack, Palace are still without a clean sheet away win since June 2020, and their last three away victories have seen the first two match goals shared. The same attribute applies to the first two match goals scored in each of Palace’s last seven away games to see both teams score.
Players to score: The match winner in Sheffield’s last home game was David McGoldrick who has scored 38.89% (seven) of their PL goals this season. Meanwhile, Palace’s last away win saw Jean-Philippe Mateta score the opener via his only touch in the opposition box, thus becoming the 123rd French scorer in the PL.
Hot stat: Sheffield have lost the second-half possession battle in eight of their last ten PL games.
Prediction: Sheffield Utd [0] vs [1] Crystal Palace