Man United v Sheffield: What the stats say

Manchester United have won eight of their last 10 Premier League games against Sheffield United (D1 L1), though the only defeat in that run was the last time they faced them at Old Trafford in January 2021 (1-2).

Sheffield United won 2-1 in their last away league game against Manchester United in January 2021, ending a run of seven straight such defeats at Old Trafford. They last won consecutive visits to face the Red Devils in April/December 1973.

Manchester United have won just one of their last seven Premier League games (D3 L3) and are winless in their last four (D3 L1). They last had a longer run without a league win in April/May 2019 (5).

Manchester United’s four midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Premier League games this season have seen a total of 22 goals scored (F12 A10). That average of 5.5 goals per game is the highest of any side in midweek in the competition this term.

Sheffield United have lost each of their last five midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) Premier League games, shipping at least two goals in all four such losses so far this term.

Manchester United have faced 20 or more shots in each of their last six Premier League games (157 total -26.2 per game); since Opta have full shot data in the competition (from 2003-04), only Blackpool have had a longer run of facing 20+ shots (8 games from November 2010 to January 2011).

When they were promoted to the Premier League in 2019, Sheffield United remained unbeaten in their first nine away games, picking up 15 points in the process (W3 D6). Since then, they’ve taken just a further 19 points from 135 available on the road in the competition (W4 D7 L34).

FERNANDES ON FORM

Bruno Fernandes has scored five goals in his last five Premier League appearances for Manchester United, netting in each of the last three. Only once has he scored in four consecutive league games for the Red Devils, doing so in February 2021 under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

No Sheffield United player has been directly involved in more Premier League goals this season than Gustavo Hamer (9 – 4 goals, 5 assists). He is one goal away from becoming only the third player to record 5+ goals and 5+ assists in the same Premier League season for the Blades, after Brian Deane in 1992-93 (15 goals, 10 assists), and Dane Whitehouse in 1993-94 (5 goals, 6 assists).

Since his return to the club in December, Chris Wilder has won just two of his 19 Premier League matches with Sheffield United (D5 L12). Indeed, among managers with the equivalent of at least two full seasons in the competition (76+ games managed), only Mick McCarthy (19.6), Dave Bassett (19.7 per cent), and Gary Megson (21.6 per cent) have a lower win ratio in the Premier League than Wilder (23.5 per cent - 20 wins in 85 games).