Sheffield United vs Arsenal predicted XIs: Confirmed team news and probable lineups
Monday’s Premier League action pits bottom club Sheffield United against an Arsenal side who are on a roll.
The Gunners have boosted their title hopes with six straight league wins and they’re heavy favourites to make it seven, keeping pace with rivals Liverpool and Manchester City.
Meanwhile, the Blades are enduring a woeful season and they’re unlikely to put up much resistance against the league’s form team. Chris Wilder’s return has added a little fight, but they’ve shown very few signs of getting out of the relegation spots.
Arteta warns of ‘tough night’ against relegation-threatened Sheffield United
Arsenal have a massive set of fixtures coming up in their chase for domestic and European honours, with a Premier League clash against Manchester City and their Champions League round-of-16 return leg against FC Porto both to come in March. But before then, they must see off Sheffield United.
The Blades are rock-bottom of the Premier League with just 13 points from 26 games, while they have the worst goalscoring (22) and defensive (66 conceded) records in the division.
But Mikel Arteta is insistent Sheffield United will offer a stern test of Arsenal’s credentials on Monday night, with the Spaniard a big fan of Chris Wilder and his methods. This is one banana skin they must overcome before they can think about March’s more high-profile engagements.
“They’re a really difficult team to beat. I’ve watched four or five games now with the City game, the way they started against Villa, and then obviously the game took a different route, but as you mentioned they are extremely well coached. I know Chris really well and I admire his teams, a lot of things that he does with them. It will be Monday night football and it’s going to be a tough night,” Arteta told reports.
He added: “I imagine that it’s really tough for them and their ambitions are different but it’s really important. I imagine when you are there (at the bottom of the league), you want to get out of there as quickly as possible. We have a lot to play for as well and it’s a big game for us.”
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Sheffield United vs Arsenal team news
Sheffield United have been given a boost ahead of this game, with George Baldock and Ben Brereton Diaz back in contention for the Blades.
Brereton Diaz had scored twice across his first three league games for Sheffield United after joining on loan in January. It remains to be seen if Chris Wilder will slot the returning pair straight into the starting lineup.
As for Arsenal, they’ll give late fitness tests to Takehiro Tomiyasu and Oleksandr Zinchenko ahead of this trip. Jurrien Timber remains out, so the Gunners could be a little light on full-back cover if neither Tomiyasu nor Zinchenko are passed fit.
Sheffield United vs Arsenal predicted line-ups
Sheffield United (3-5-2): Grbic; Ahmedhodzic, Trusty, Robinson; Bogle, Norwood, Sousa, Hamer, Larouci; McAtee, McBurnie.
Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli.
