Newcastle United will travel to Bramall Lane to take on Sheffield United this Sunday for their matchday 6 in the English Premier League season.
A victory last weekend saw the visitors climb to 12th spot on the top-flight table, while their hosts sit at 17th with two points on the log amid poor start to the league campaign.
After sealing a return to England’s top flight last season by finishing second in the Championship, Sheffield United set out to avoid relegation this time around, but they have had to endure a slow and winless start thus far.
Captain John Egan is back in contention after missing that game with a knee injury but George Baldock and Will Osula are again expected to be absent.
Newcastle have no new fitness concerns, although they remain without injured midfielders Joe Willock and Joelinton. The Magpies may need to monitor back-up goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, who sat out the draw at AC Milan through illness.
Head-to-head:
Newcastle have won six of the past seven league meetings, with the exception being a 1-0 defeat on their last visit to Bramall Lane in January 2021.
Sheffield United’s1-0 Premier League win at St James’ Park in November 2006 is their only victory on Tyneside in the past 44 years.
– Sheffield United have lost 33 of their past 43 top-flight matches, although 21 of those defeats were by a single-goal margin – including all four losses this season.
– They have had fewer shots per game than any other Premier League side this season (8.2) and have faced more shots than anyone else in the competition (114).
– Paul Heckingbottom has lost his three previous three league fixtures as a manager versus Newcastle, conceding a total of six unanswered goals.
Cameron Archer can become the third player to score in each of his first two Premier League home appearances for the Blades, emulating Willie Falconer and Jostein Flo, both of whom did so in 1993.
– Newcastle are unbeaten in 14 league games against newly-promoted sides since a 2-1 home defeat by Leeds in January 2021 (W7, D7).
– The Magpies are in danger of losing their opening three away matches in a Premier League season for the first time since 1999-2000, when they began with six successive defeats on the road.
– They have lost their last eight league fixtures immediately following a midweek match in Europe, with this their first such game since a 2-1 defeat by Wigan in March 2013.