Having been widely backed for relegation, can the Blades upset the odds this term? Get our Sheffield United betting tips and the latest Sheff Utd betting specials here.
Sheffield United are back in the Premier League for only their second top-flight season since 1994 and hope to fare better than in 2006-07 when they headed straight back down.
Much credit must go to their manager Chris Wilder, who has taken the Blades from League One to the Premier League in only three seasons, and captain Billy Sharp, the most prolific goalscorer in the Football League in the 21st century.
Sheffield United finished second to Norwich in the Championship by five points but had six to spare over third place. The key to their success was solid defending – their total of 41 goals conceded in 46 matches was the same as Middlesbrough’s but nine fewer than any other club.
At the other end of the pitch, besides the 21-goal haul of Billy Sharp, there were also 15 for David McGoldrick, while John Fleck and on-loan Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson also had campaigns they could be proud of.
The Manager
Chris Wilder may be a new name to some but he is no rookie manager – the 51-year-old has served his time working his way up at clubs such as Alfreton Town, Halifax Town, Oxford United and Northampton Town, enjoying promotion with three of those four.
A boyhood Sheffield United fan and a player for them in two separate spells, Wilder had his longest stint as a right-back with Rotherham United and was rewarded for his work in leading the Blades to the Premier League with a new three-year contract this summer.
The New Arrivals
Clearly aware that they needed to strengthen their squad, Sheffield United have broken their transfer record three times this summer – on, in order, Luke Freeman, Callum Robinson and Lys Mousset. And at the time of writing, they looked set to do so for a fourth time on another striker, Oli McBurnie of Swansea City.
But there have been other interesting additions too, namely former England defender Phil Jagielka, Nottingham Forest midfielder Ben Osborn and a wild-card in ex-Manchester United prospect Ravel Morrison, who is trying to get his career back on track after spells in Italy, Mexico and Sweden.
Dean Henderson on England Under-21 duty (PA Images)
The Key Man
For a team that is likely to be under intense pressure throughout the season, the goalkeeping position is a critical one – and Sheffield United were eager to get Dean Henderson back on loan from Manchester United.
The England Under-21 shot-stopper is viewed as a potential long-term successor to David De Gea at Old Trafford and he excelled in the Championship last term.
Can Wilder’s innovative overlapping approach work in the Premier League?
When we say overlapping, we do not mean the full-backs – rather two of the three centre-backs in a 3-5-2 formation who burst forward and take up the wide attacking positions usually occupied by the wing-backs, who then tuck inside them.
It’s hard to think of any other Premier League team that has implemented such a system and it may be difficult for some sides to deal with. But it’s not like it’s a brand new thing and there is plenty of evidence available to research and study.
Which lower-league stalwarts can make the step up to the top tier?
A fascinating one will be Oliver Norwood, the Northern Ireland midfielder who has now been promoted from the Championship with different clubs in three of the last four seasons but remarkably has yet to play a Premier League match.
David McGoldrick is another whose efficacy in the top flight is of interest, while John Egan has looked an accomplished defender in the second tier and has the potential to impress.
Unless they already possess, or go out and buy, proven Premier League quality, it will be hard for promoted teams to stay up – and we think Sheffield United fall firmly into that category.
Although they have broken their transfer record several times this summer, the bar was not set particularly high on that front and it has mostly been Championship players or Premier League back-ups that Chris Wilder has brought in.
Unlike Aston Villa, who have essentially bought a whole new team and much of it high quality, Sheffield United are relying on players who need to make a big step up to be truly competitive. It could be a long, hard season for them.
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Sheffield United Tips & Betting Specials 2019/2020
Having being widely backed for relegation can the Blades upset the odds this term? Get our Sheffield United betting tips and the latest Sheff Utd betting specials here.
Sheffield United’s Phil Jagielka (PA Images)
