Sheffield United Match Preview

After facing newly-promoted Luton Town at the start of the month, West Ham United play another of the Premier League’s newcomers to bring an end to September, as Sheffield United visit Stratford this afternoon.

The Hammers haven’t won in the league since the trip to Kenilworth Road and will be keen to end that run but they will be mindful of a backlash from the Blades after coming off the back of an 8-0 home defeat to Newcastle United just six days ago.

In midweek, David Moyes’ men beat Sky Bet League One side Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup third round to set up an all Premier League tie at home to Arsenal at the end of October. Coincidently, the Irons achieved what the Blades couldn’t do and ended the Imps’ progress in that particular competition.

Due to the nature of last weekend’s home defeat to the Magpies, Paul Heckingbottom’s side go into this weekend bottom of the table with just a solitary point to their name. Although expectation is high on the hosts, you wouldn’t bet against the visitors defying the odds, as they arrive in East London having had a full week to prepare.

In contrast, West Ham have plenty of momentum behind them, having played three days ago. The task for them now is to build on it ahead of Thursday’s UEFA Europa League Group A match against SC Freiburg.

The East Londoners also played last Sunday and their 3-1 defeat at Liverpool meant that they slipped a place and find themselves seventh in the table ahead of this encounter.

In his 900th game as a league manager, David Moyes is likely to rotate his squad again but, will Konstantinos Mavropanos and Mohammed Kudus both make their first starts?

The match is a 3pm kick-off and the referee is Graham Scott.