Freshly promoted from the Championship, Sheffield United begin their quest to prove the doubters wrong when they kick off their Premier League campaign against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
While Palace arrive at Bramall Lane having been revived by Roy Hodgson last term, their hosts have lost several star names during the summer; making them most pundits' favourites for demotion.
Match preview
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Any optimism surrounding Sheffield United's top-flight return has certainly ebbed away during the off-season, as many fans fear a fruitless survival struggle awaits in 2023-24.
The departures of Iliman Ndiaye to Marseille and midfield maestro Sander Berge to potential relegation rivals Burnley - plus exits for two promotion-winning loanees - leave the Blades facing a difficult year ahead.
Paul Heckingbottom's squad has been weakened since finishing runners-up to Vincent Kompany's Clarets in a highly-competitive Championship battle, after the ex-Barnsley boss turned United's fortunes around following relegation from the Premier League in 2021.
Having overcome a transfer embargo and other off-field problems, Heckingbottom steered his youthful side to 28 wins last term - six more than any other team except Burnley - but now an even greater challenge awaits.
During the pre-season period, Sheffield United have lost half of their matches, failing to score on four occasions, including a humbling 3-0 home defeat to Stuttgart in their final warm-up fixture last week.
They have also won their opening league match in just one of the last nine seasons, during a dire run featuring seven losses, and that bodes ill for Saturday's return to English football's top table.
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Kicking off their second 11th straight season in the Premier League, Crystal Palace will also be aiming to overcome the departure of their talisman this season, as Wilfried Zaha's long-expected exit leaves behind big boots to fill.
Now forced to replace such an iconic figure, vastly experienced head coach Roy Hodgson harnessed Zaha's talents as he led a struggling squad to safety last term, after returning to Selhurst Park in place of Patrick Vieira.
Having secured a commendable 11th place in the final standings - thanks to some electrifying attacking displays from Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze and others - Hodgson has since set Palace a target of finishing inside the top 10 this time around.
Though he has just turned 76, the ex-England boss signed a fresh one-year contract at his boyhood club, bringing in Jefferson Lerma on a free transfer from Bournemouth and Flamengo's 19-year-old starlet Matheus Franca to bolster his squad for the upcoming campaign.
After ending their United States tour with a 1-1 draw against Sevilla (though they did lose a subsequent sudden-death shootout), Palace went on to beat Lyon 2-0 last weekend; recording a third friendly victory of the summer, following wins over Crawley Town and Watford last month.
The Croydon club are therefore primed for their Premier League opener in South Yorkshire, where maximum points will be the target - particularly as back-to-back London derbies against Arsenal and Brentford are next on the schedule.
While Crystal Palace have lost their opening league game in each of the last two seasons - being beaten 3-0 by Chelsea and 2-0 by Arsenal - they have never done so in three consecutive top-flight campaigns and will not want to lose that record now.
Team News
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While a number of last season's stars are no longer available, Sheffield United have signed Anis Ben Slimane from Brondby and Hacken's Benie Traore to aid their survival attempt. The latter was the Allsvenskan's leading goalscorer before moving to Bramall Lane but has missed much of the Blades' pre-season due to work permit problems.
Paul Heckingbottom can call on eight players from the squad that finished ninth in 2019-20, including striker Daniel Jebbison, who scored the winner against Everton as a 17-year-old during United's most recent stay in the top flight.
After impressing on loan to Birmingham City last season, Auston Trusty joins Anel Ahmedhodzic among Heckingbottom's defensive options - the latter also excelled in the Championship, while chipping in six valuable goals.
The hosts' injury list features Rhian Brewster (thigh), John Fleck (leg), Jayden Bogle and Ismaila Coulibaly (both knee), while their visitors' most notable absentee will be Michael Olise, who injured a hamstring playing for France Under-21s at the European Championship.
With Wilfried Zaha having left for Galatasaray, Eberechi Eze therefore shoulders much of the Eagles' creative burden, having stepped up a gear in 2023 and won a first senior England cap in June.
Palace will also be without recent arrival Matheus Franca on Saturday: the young Brazilian joined from Flamengo for a fee of £17m - rising to £26m - but is not yet recovered from injury.
Both Tyrick Mitchell (thigh) and Will Hughes (knee) hope to return in time for the season opener, but goalkeeper Vicente Guaita has apparently refused to play during pre-season, so Sam Johnstone starts between the posts.
Sheffield United possible starting lineup:
Foderingham; Ahmedhodzic, Egan, Robinson; Baldock, Ben Slimane, Norwood, Osborn, Lowe; Traore, Osula
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:
Johnstone; Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Clyne; Doucoure, Lerma; Ayew, Eze, Schlupp; Edouard
We say: Sheffield United 0-1 Crystal Palace
Bramall Lane must be a fortress for Sheffield United to avoid relegation this season, but they could get off to a losing start on home soil. Given a lack of punch up front, last term's Championship runners-up may fail to score on Saturday, allowing a relatively settled Palace side to claim all three points.
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Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
