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Sheffield United vs West Ham predictions
- Sheffield United draw no bet – 6/4 with William Hill
- Under 2.5 goals – 17/20 with William Hill
- Sheffield United to receive most cards – 19/20 with Unibet
There’s been an improvement in Sheffield United’s performance levels since Chris Wilder’s reappointment, but what they desperately need now is Premier League points if they are to pull off the great escape.
The Blades won for only the third time all season when beating Gillingham 4-0 in the FA Cup third round before their winter break and return to action with a crunch home league fixture against West Ham (2pm, TNT Sports 1).
Wilder’s side have nine points to their name after 20 league games and are 9/1 to stay up with football betting sites.
With time fast running out, every home game is now a key fixture, particularly one against a West Ham team missing several key players.
Among a long list of potential absentees are Lucas Paqueta, Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen and Edson Alvarez, four of the Hammers’ top performers this season.
David Moyes also has to pick his players up following their 1-0 defeat by Championship side Bristol City in the FA Cup in midweek.
Still, the Premier League odds favour the visitors, who have been enjoying a good season, climbing to sixth in the table on the back of a four-game unbeaten run in the league.
But they look vulnerable in this spot against a desperate opponent as we run through our Sheffield United vs West Ham predictions.
Hosts ready to put up a fight
With over half the season gone, Sheffield United’s survival prospects look bleak and they would make Premier League history were they to stay up having taken so few points from their first 20 games.
Still, the Blades aren’t throwing in the towel and have a run of fixtures coming up they’ll fancy they can take some points from, especially after the confidence boost of a solid cup win at Gillingham.
The addition of Ben Brereton Diaz on loan may also give the squad a lift. The Chile international could prove a shrewd signing for the league’s lowest scores if he can recapture the goal-scoring form he showed for Blackburn in the Championship.
Improving their attacking output is the next step for Wilder having shored up United defensively with their averages for goals conceded (1.7), shots faced (13.7), and expected goals against per game (1.52) having dropped significantly from when Paul Heckingbottom was in charge.
Having had an extended period to work with his charges on the training ground during United’s low-key winter break – they remained in South Yorkshire while other teams headed for warmer climates – Wilder should have his side well-drilled for the visit of West Ham.
Betting sites make the Hammers strong favourites to beat the Premier League’s bottom side having won their last 11 meetings with the team starting the day at the foot of the ladder.
On paper, it’s easy to see why the visitors are a best-price of 6/5. Only four sides have taken more points on the road than West Ham (16) this season and they enter this game having kept a clean sheet in their last four games.
They were also comfortable 2-0 winners over Sheffield United in the reverse fixture. But there’s no getting away from how different the team is without Paqueta, Kudus and Bowen.
Since Kudus went to the Africa Cup of Nations at the start of January and Paqueta’s injury issues began, West Ham are winless in three games, playing out a goalless draw with Brighton and failing to beat Bristol City in two attempts in the cup.
Said Benrahma’s sending off at Bristol City further limits West Ham’s attacking options and given their lack of strength in depth, this shapes up as a good time to face Moyes’ men.
It’s tough to entirely trust a Sheffield United team that’s only won two league games all season and has let leads slip a couple of times recently, but the Blades draw no bet price with William Hill is big enough to back them with that safety net.
Sheffield United vs West Ham Tip 1: Sheffield United draw no bet – 6/4 with William Hill
Goals may be in short supply
Given the recent defensive improvements both sides have shown, it’s unlikely those watching will be treated to a glut of goals on Sunday afternoon with under 2.5 goals found at odds-on with all the major betting apps.
West Ham’s recent attacking issues have been highlighted, and they will be relying on the set piece delivery of James Ward-Prowse to open up the Blades' defence, which has been susceptible to crosses into their penalty area.
That is a problem Wilder has worked to address, though, and if they cut out that route to goal, a West Ham team that’s managed just two shots on target in two of their last three games may struggle.
Sheffield United’s attack will have taken some confidence from scoring four at Gillingham, but breaking down this West Ham defence is another matter, particularly if the visitors' midfield destroyer Alvarez is passed fit.
The Blades have the lowest expected goals per game in the top flight and while the signing of Brereton Diaz and uptick in form of the likes of Gustavo Hamer are reasons to be optimistic, they don’t look ready to blow anyone away in the top flight.
Sheffield United vs West Ham Tip 2: Under 2.5 goals – 17/20 with William Hill
Battling Blades may oversstep the mark
If there’s one thing Sheffield United have been consistently good at this season, it’s picking up cards.
Only Chelsea (66 yellows, three reds) have received more cards than the Blades (61 yellows, two reds) with over half of their yellows collected at Bramall Lane.
Last time out at home, the Yorkshiremen received five cautions and since Wilder's return, they’ve been shown more cards than the visitors in two of their three home matches.
Much like Sunday’s opponents, the majority of West Ham’s cards have been collected at home, while they’ve been well-behaved of late.
The Londoners haven’t collected more than two cards in a game in each of their last six outings and for our last Sheffield United vs West Ham prediction, we’re backing the usually lenient referee Michael Salisbury to show the most cards to a desperate Blades team ready to get stuck in.
Sheffield United vs West Ham Tip 3: Sheffield United to receive most cards – 19/20 with Unibet
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Last Updated: 14th March 2024, 07:22 AM
