Sheffield United will endeavour to record back-to-back Premier League triumphs for the first time in the 2023-24 campaign when Brighton & Hove Albion visit Bramall Lane on Sunday afternoon.
The Blades ran out 3-1 winners over fellow top-flight new boys Luton Town last weekend, while the Seagulls lost 2-1 to Tottenham Hotspur in gut-wrenching circumstances.
Match preview
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Even before Chris Kavanagh blew his whistle for the first time at Kenilworth Road last weekend, the writing appeared to be on the wall for Sheffield United, who squared up a Luton Town side unbeaten in six games after their 5-0 humiliation at the hands of Aston Villa.
However, Chris Wilder's troops threw the form book into the shredder and became the first team to defeat the Hatters by more than one goal at Kenilworth Road this season, entering the break 2-0 up courtesy of Cameron Archer and James McAtee's strikes.
Carlton Morris did reduce the arrears from the penalty spot following a Vinicius Souza handball, but the latter quickly made amends with the visitors' insurance goal to rubber-stamp just a third Premier League win of the campaign, albeit one which has no impact on their 20th-placed standing in the Premier League table.
Sheffield United have at least drawn level on 13 points with Burnley, whose superior goal difference is keeping the Blades in last place, but with a seven-point gap to make up to recent victims Luton - who possess a game in hand - a minor miracle will still be required to save their Premier League bacon.
Furthermore, not since July 2020 have Wilder's side triumphed in consecutive Premier League fixtures - eight of their last nine wins in the top flight have immediately preceded a defeat - and only 2020-21 West Bromwich Albion (32) have conceded more times than the Blades' 31 in their opening 12 home games of a top-flight campaign.
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Five strikes also flew past Sheffield United at Bramall Lane during last month's FA Cup contest with Brighton, who have experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows since that fourth-round romping, following up their harrowing 4-0 loss at Luton Town with a 4-1 battering of M23 foes Crystal Palace.
The travelling Seagulls faithful were momentarily in dreamland at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium too, as Pascal Gross sent Brighton ahead from the penalty spot last weekend, but Pape Sarr's 61st-minute leveller and Brennan Johnson's injury-time winner left the visitors crestfallen.
With Roberto De Zerbi unable to bark orders from the touchline due to suspension and dental surgery, assistant Andrea Maldera coincidentally lost his voice as Brighton were condemned to a second successive loss on enemy territory, one which saw the visitors drift further away from the European spots and down into ninth place.
Since ending November with an enthralling 3-2 triumph on Nottingham Forest's turf, Brighton have just two points under their belt from the last 18 on offer on the road - failing to score in three of their last five away fixtures in the top flight - although such offensive concerns disappeared at Bramall Lane only a few weeks back.
Indeed, a 5-2 thrashing of Wilder's men in the FA Cup saw Brighton snap a seven-game winless sequence against Sheffield United, who battled their way to a 1-1 draw at the Amex in November, and the Blades have not been defeated by the Seagulls in a league outing since Leon Knight's 90th-minute effort in a 2004-05 Championship battle.
Team News
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Sheffield United's afternoon at Luton Town began in the worst possible fashion as Rhys Norrington-Davies was taken off with just five minutes played, while Ben Brereton Diaz was absent from the squad entirely - both men were affected by hamstring problems.
Wilder is keeping his fingers crossed that Brereton Diaz will only be out for the short-term, but there is more concern over luckless left-back Norrington-Davies, who was just beginning to find his feet again after an excruciating 14-month layoff.
Chris Basham (ankle), John Egan (ankle) and Daniel Jebbison (illness) are still recovering from their afflictions, but Oli McBurnie (calf) and George Baldock (unspecified) should not be too far away from a return, while Ivo Grbic is back from concussion protocol.
As far as Brighton are concerned, Jack Hinshelwood was not risked for the Tottenham clash after taking a kick in training, although reports have claimed that the teenager is suffering from a stress fracture in his foot and will be sidelined for a number of weeks due to surgery.
Joao Pedro - scorer of a hat-trick in January's FA Cup thrashing of Sheffield United - remains out with a thigh injury, while Solly March (knee), James Milner (thigh) and Julio Enciso (knee) are still in the care of the medical team too.
However, one slice of good news should arrive in the shape of Simon Adingra's return from the Africa Cup of Nations, where he helped to propel Ivory Coast to the coveted crown, and the comebacks of Kaoru Mitoma and Ansu Fati means that the Seagulls' frontline now has a much more menacing feel to it again.
Sheffield United possible starting lineup:
Foderingham; Bogle, Robinson, Ahmedhodzic, Holgate, Lowe; McAtee, Hamer, Souza, Osborn; Archer
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Steele; Lamptey, Dunk, Van Hecke, Estupinan; Gilmour, Gross; Fati, Buonanotte, Mitoma; Welbeck
We say: Sheffield United 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Whether Sheffield United's statement win over Luton is the catalyst for a hot streak of form remains to be seen, but the Blades have made a habit of triumphing in one Premier League fixture only to disappoint their fans in the next.
With Brighton's attacking ranks also being strengthened by a handful of returning wide men, the Seagulls still have to be considered the favourites to emerge triumphant at Bramall Lane for the second time in the space of a month, in spite of their recent shortcomings on the road.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
