Sheffield United vs Everton 21/07/20

21 July 2020

Sheffield United welcome mid-table Everton to Bramall Lane, looking to stretch an unbeaten run in the Premier League H2Hs to three matches (W1, D1).

The hosts have endured mixed fortunes since the Premier League’s restart (W3, D2, L3), with five of those six results (win/loss) seeing the winner on the day keep a blank sheet. The ‘clean-sheet’ theme will play a significant role here, too, given that 13 of Sheffield’s 15 Premier League home results this term have witnessed the winning side shut out the losing one. Chris Wilder’s men enter the round trailing sixth-placed Tottenham by four points but confident of picking up three points. Indeed, the Blades have won five of their last six Premier League home fixtures (D1), which has been true in two of five top-flight H2Hs held at this venue since 1990 (D3).

On the other hand, the visitors come into this encounter after failing to win in four league matches in a row (D2, L2), scoring under 1.5 goals on each of those occasions. By extension, the Toffees have scored one goal or less in eight of their last nine Premier League matches, which has been the case in 33.33% of their top-flight trips this season (6/18). But, if Carlo Ancelotti’s men score here, they seem likely to do it before the break. Notably, 68.42% of Everton’s Premier League away goals netted this campaign arrived in the first half of play (13/19). Despite feeling much better in the first 45 minutes, the Merseyside giants have shipped the opening goal in 11 of 18 league trips, rescuing just four points from such games (W1, D1, L9).