Premier League standouts When Aston Villa hosts Sheffield United, a team from the bottom, at Villa Park on Friday night, they will try to move up to the top of the table.
The first meeting between the two teams since March 2021, when the Blades, led by current manager Chris Wilder, narrowly prevailed 1-0 at Bramall Lane.
Even the most devoted Aston Villa fans could not have predicted that their team would be sitting second in the Premier League standings and potentially finishing first at the end of the season, but Unai Emery’s team is still improving and has shown early signs of being a threat to win the title.
The last six top-flight games have seen the Lions win five and draw one. They have won the last three by a margin of one goal, including last weekend’s hard-fought 2-1 victory at Brentford, where Alex Moreno and former Bees forward Ollie Watkins scored in the final 13 minutes to take advantage of Ben Mee’s earlier dismissal and steal three crucial points.
The only teams in Premier League history with a longer winning home run are Liverpool (24 between 2019 and 2020), Manchester City (20 between 2011 and 2012), and Manchester United (19 between 2010 and 2011). Aston Villa will be happy to be back home, where they have won a club record 15 straight Premier League games, scoring 39 goals, and keeping eight clean sheets in the process.
Emery and company have defeated Man City, the defending champions, and Arsenal, the runners-up from the previous season, 1-0, in the last two games played at Villa Park. The Lions will be confident in their ability to defeat Sheffield United on Friday, having won their previous five encounters with promoted teams.
Villa has also defeated Sheffield United in their previous 14 home league games; but, three of those matches have concluded in draws, so they will not be taking Wilder’s revitalized Blades team lightly on Friday.
Sheffield United had high hopes going into a struggling Chelsea team last weekend after taking all three points in a much-needed 1-0 home win against Brentford. However, their tenacious effort was ultimately in fruitless as the West Londoners defeated them 2-0.
Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson’s goals in the second half doomed Wilder to his second loss in three games since his return to the Blades. They are still at the bottom of the table, tied with Burnley in 19th position and six points outside of safety.
Few would have predicted Sheffield United to win two difficult games against Chelsea and Liverpool (losing 2-0 at home to the latter in Wilder’s baptism of fire). They finish the year with two more difficult games against Man City and Aston Villa, both of which could be crucial, before a potentially crucial matchup with Luton Town at Bramall Lane.
There is cause for optimism ahead of Friday’s trip to Villa Park, since the Blades have only managed one point in eight away games since winning promotion to the Premier League. During this time, they have also scored the fewest goals (four) and given up the most goals (22) on the road.
In fact, Sheffield United had won five Premier League points from their last four games with Aston Villa, including three clean sheets. The Blades’ lone loss in those five visits, across all competitions, came in September 2020, when they were defeated 1-0.
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