:Headline: Preview: Brentford vs. Sheffield United - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Saturday's Premier League clash between Brentford and Sheffield United, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Two struggling teams battling at the wrong end of the Premier League table square off at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday as Brentford play host to basem*nt club Sheffield United.
The Bees will be seeking revenge after they were beaten 1-0 by the Blades in the reverse fixture at Bramall Lane four months ago courtesy of a superb first-half strike from James McAtee.
Match preview
Brentford head into Saturday's contest having failed to win any of their last nine Premier League games, although they have picked up a solitary point in each of their last three fixtures, including last weekend's 3-3 draw at Aston Villa.
The Villans boasted a two-goal lead heading into the final half-hour, but Mathias Jorgensen, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa were all on target for the Bees as they scored three goals in the space of just nine minutes to quickly turn the game on its head, before Ollie Watkins had the last laugh against his former club, netting his second of the match in the closing stages to rescue a point for the hosts.
Thomas Frank praised his players for their "mentality" to claim a point after going two goals down, but having not won since February 10, Brentford remain in danger of slipping into the relegation zone as they sit 15th in the table and only four points above the bottom three.
Not since September 2017 as a Championship club have the Bees endured a 10-game winless league run, and success is not a given on Saturday as they have failed to come out on top in any of their last six league meetings with Sheffield United.
With each of their next three fixtures against teams below them in the table, Brentford will be targeting an upturn in form as they endeavour to move clear of the drop zone, but they must find a way to hold onto leads as they have already dropped a division-high 30 points so far this season.
Following a spirited display in a 3-1 defeat at title hopefuls Liverpool, Sheffield United claimed a valuable point in a 2-2 draw at home to Chelsea last weekend.
Jayden Bogle scored his first goal since August last year in between strikes from Blues duo Thiago Silva and Noni Madueke, before Oli McBurnie came to the rescue for the Blades as he netted a dramatic 93rd-minute equaliser - his sixth home goal of the season - to force both sides to share the spoils at Bramall Lane.
Chris Wilder has praised his players' attitude in recent matches and believes that a similar type of performance to that against Chelsea will be needed to get a positive result against Brentford, who the Blades boss has been "incredibly impressed" by under the tutelage of Frank.
Sheffield United remain at the foot of the Premier League table and are starring down the barrel at an immediate demotion back to the Championship as they sit nine points adrift of safety, although they do have a game in hand on four of the five teams above them, including Saturday's opponents Brentford.
The Blades travel to West London having accumulated the fewest away points (six) in the Premier League this season, but Wilder and co can be optimistic of success against an out-of-sorts Brentford side whom they have beaten in each of their last three meetings by an aggregate score of 6-3.
Brentford Premier League form:
Sheffield United Premier League form:
- L
- L
- D
- D
- L
- D
Team News
Brentford's Josh Dasilva, Rico Henry (both knee), Ben Mee (ankle) and Aaron Hickey (thigh) all remain sidelined with injuries, while Christian Norgaard (back), Ethan Pinnock (ankle) and Kevin Schade (groin) will all be assessed ahead of kickoff.
Sergio Reguilon will hope to retain his spot at left wing-back ahead of Keane Lewis-Potter, while Frank Onyeka is set to battle with Mikkel Damsgaard for a start in centre-midfield.
After failing to score in seven successive starts, Ivan Toney was dropped to the bench last weekend, but the in-demand striker is expected to return to the first XI and could link up with either or both of Mbeumo and Wissa in attack.
As for Sheffield United, Chris Basham, John Egan, Max Lowe (all ankle), Rhys Norrington-Davies, Rhian Brewster, Tom Davies (all hamstring), George Baldock (calf) and Daniel Jebbison (illness) all remain in the treatment room.
Jack Robinson limped off with an ankle injury in the draw with Chelsea and Wilder has said that he will give the defender "every chance to be involved" on Saturday.
Should Robinson fail a late fitness check, Auston Trusty could slot into the left side of a back three, with Ben Osborn or Yasser Larouci potentially recalled at left wing-back.
Brentford possible starting lineup:
Flekken; Zanka, Collins, Ajer; Roerslev, Onyeka, Jensen, Janelt, Reguilon; Mbeumo, Toney
Sheffield United possible starting lineup:
Grbic; Holgate, Ahmedhodzic, Trusty; Bogle, Souza, Norwood, Hamer, Osborn; Brereton Diaz, McBurnie
We say: Brentford 2-1 Sheffield United
A closely-fought contest is in store between two teams desperate to return to winning ways in their quest for survival, and although Sheffield United have got the better of Brentford in recent meetings, we believe that the Bees may just edge this match on home soil to end their torrid winless run.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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