Sheffield United vs Man City 27/08/23 Tips
Predicted score
Sheffield United 0-2 Man City
Sheffield United vs Man City verdict
Sheffield United are still chasing their first points of the Premier League season as they prepare to welcome champions Manchester City to Bramall Lane.
The Yorkshire side were flattened in a 1-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace and followed that up with another just defeat away to Nottingham Forest, conceding an 89th minute goal.
Manchester City have made an ominously good start to the season, beating Burnley 3-0 at Turf Moor and navigating a tricky test against Newcastle with relative ease.
They’ll be expected to make it three wins from three against last season’s Championship runners-up and we’re willing to bet they’ll do exactly that.
The last eight Premier League meetings between the teams haven’t been as one sided as you’d think, with the visitors outsourcing Heckingbottom’s side 6-0 on aggregate.
Several of those came before City’s Galactico era, though, and their recent meetings have been decisive. The Blades haven’t scored in five meetings, all of which have been won by the Blues.
There’s no doubt that injuries are hampering the hosts but even so, you can question the quality of this squad all over the pitch. The additions of Gustavo Hamer and Cameron Archer certainly help.
Guardiola’s star-studded line-up will provide the stiffest of tests, particularly for a backline that has never faced the likes of Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez and Phil Foden before.
They allowed Palace and Forest to fire off a total of 40 shots between them to produce a combined xG of 3.28. You can question the attacking quality of both of those sides, so that doesn’t bode well.
The home side will of course approach this game differently, sitting deep and setting up in two banks of five for large parts, but City will have too much quality to be nullified.
Suggested bets
Bet: Man City win to nil
Bet: Erling Haaland to score first
