Man United vs Sheffield United
Old Trafford, Manchester
Wednesday, 24-06-2020 @8pm
Ref: Anthony Taylor
Manchester United have won their last seven home meetings with Sheffield United in all competitions by an aggregate score of 17-2. Sheffield United’s most recent victory against United was a 2-1 FA Cup win in February 1993.
Manchester United have no new injury concerns and midfielder Paul Pogba could start on Wednesday for the first time since 30 September.
Sheffield United will be forced into at least two changes, with John Egan suspended and on-loan goalkeeper Dean Henderson ineligible to face his parent club. Phil Jagielka and Simon Moore are expected to start.
Manchester United are unbeaten in 12 games in all competitions (W8, D4), scoring 30 goals and conceding just three in that run. However, United’s tally of 46 points is their lowest after 30 matches of a top-flight season since 1990-91. They require 20 points from their final eight league fixtures to equal their points total of 66 last season. Since Bruno Fernandes’ debut, no United player has scored more goals (4), created more assists (4), had more shots (38), shots on target (15), created more chances (26) or played more passes into the penalty area (98). United have taken 23 penalties and scored 16 since the start of last season, both more than any other Premier League side.
Sheffield United’s 3-0 defeat at Newcastle was only the second time the Blades have conceded three times this season. It was their heaviest league defeat since a 3-0 loss at Middlesbrough in August 2018. It was also the first time they have let in more than two goals away from home this season. Despite that loss, they still have the second best defensive record in the top flight. The Blades have suffered three defeats in their last six on the road, after opening with a nine-match unbeaten run away from home. They have also failed to score in four of those six fixtures. Sheffield United could lose successive league games for only the second time this season.
Newcastle United vs Aston Villa
St. James Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
Wednesday, 24-06-2020@8pm
Ref: Chris Kavangha
Newcastle’s Matty Longstaff has returned to training after a thigh injury but could miss out, along with brother Sean, who has a muscle problem.
Defenders Florian Lejeune and Ciaran Clark will not be involved as they work their way back to full fitness.
Villa pair Frederic Guilbert and Danny Drinkwater are in contention to feature for the first time since the Premier League’s resumption. John McGinn could be rested, while Bjorn Engels remains sidelined.
Newcastle have gone 11 home games without defeat against Aston Villa in all competitions since a 3-0 loss in April 2005 (W7, D4). The Magpies’ 10-match unbeaten Premier League run against Villa was ended by a 2-0 defeat in November’s reverse fixture. Villa are looking to complete the Premier League double over Newcastle for the first time since 2004-05.
Newcastle are attempting to win three consecutive league matches for the first time since November 2018. Head coach Steve Bruce hasn’t won three top-flight games in a row since January 2009, when his Wigan side earned four straight victories. The Magpies are unbeaten in four Premier League home games without conceding a goal (W2, D2). They can equal the club top-flight records of four successive clean sheets, and five in a row at home. Bruce’s side can reach 40 points after 31 Premier League matches for the first time since 2013-14. Newcastle are winless in 18 Premier League matches played on a Wednesday since beating Chelsea in May 2012. Joelinton is vying to score in back-to-back league games for the first time since November 2018 for Hoffenheim.
Villa have taken a solitary point from their past six league fixtures, with their only win in nine coming at home to Watford on 21 January. They have won just two of their last 33 top-flight away games, beating Norwich in October and Burnley in January (D5, L26). The Villans are the only side yet to keep an away clean sheet in the Premier League this season. Dean Smith’s side have conceded twice or more in 19 of their 30 matches, the joint most of any team along with Norwich. Aston Villa’s 2-1 defeat against Chelsea was the fifth time this season they have scored first and lost in the Premier League, the most in the division.
Norwich City vs Everton
Carrow Road, Norlfork
Wednesday, 24-06-2020 @8pm
Ref: Andy Madley
Norwich are aiming to complete their first league double over Everton since March 1994. Everton’s only victory in eight Premier League away games against Norwich came in October 2004 (D5, L2).
Norwich have sustained four defeats in five league matches, winning once. Daniel Farke has lost 19 of his 30 Premier League games. Only Graham Taylor (21) and Mick McCarthy (26) have been defeated more often in their first 30 games in the division. Norwich have failed to score in six of their past nine league matches, recording three goals in total. They have won just one of their last 20 midweek league matches, beating Watford 4-2 in May 2016. Norwich are winless in 20 Premier League fixtures when conceding a goal since beating Manchester City 3-2 in September (D4, L16).
Everton’s four-match run without a victory is their longest since October (D2, L2). They have won only two of their six away league matches under Carlo Ancelotti (D1, L3). The Toffees could go three league games without scoring for the first time since September 2017. Everton have conceded in 14 successive league away matches since a goalless draw at Crystal Palace on the opening weekend of the season. They are unbeaten in their past 14 Premier League away games against sides bottom of the table (W7, D7). Six of Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s 13 league goals for Everton this season have come away from home.
Wolves vs Bournemouth
Molinuex Stadium, West Midlands
Wednesday, 24-06-2020@8pm
Ref: Michael Oliver
Wolves winger Pedro Neto will be pushing for a starting berth, having made a goalscoring impact as a substitute last time out. Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has a fully-fit squad to choose from.
Bournemouth forward Joshua King is a doubt for the trip to Molineux. King suffered an ankle injury against Crystal Palace on Saturday and, although the problem is not as bad as first feared, he may still miss out.
Wolves are unbeaten in the three Premier League meetings, winning two and drawing one. The Cherries have won four of the seven all-time meetings at Wolves, losing three.
Wolves are unbeaten in six league games, registering five clean sheets. They could keep a fourth consecutive top-flight clean sheet at home for the first time since December 1979 to February 1980. Wolves have conceded the opening goal in an unrivalled 18 Premier League matches this season, but they have won 21 points from a losing position – five more than any other club. This is their 50th game of the campaign in all competitions. Raul Jimenez’s tally of 14 Premier League goals this season is the most by a Wolves player in the top flight since John Richards scored 17 in 1975-76.
Bournemouth have lost an unrivalled 24 Premier League away games since the start of last season, including each of the last six. Their tally of seven points from a possible 30 in 2020 is the lowest in the division. The Cherries have equalled the club Premier League record of 13 consecutive fixtures without a clean sheet, set from March to August 2016. Bournemouth have 27 points after 30 matches. Their previous lowest points tally at this stage of a Premier League season was 33 in 2017-18.
Liverpool vs Crystal Palace
Anfield Stadium, Liverpool
Wednesday, 24-06-2020 @10:15pm
Ref: Martin Atkinson
Liverpool have won five successive league games against the Eagles and scored 11 goals in the process. Crystal Palace’s three most recent league wins over the Reds have all been at Anfield – in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17. Palace are the only team to have a beaten a Jurgen Klopp-managed Liverpool side more than once at Anfield.
Liverpool are weighing up whether to recall Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson, with Jurgen Klopp confirming both are available after injury. James Milner and Joel Matip picked up injures in Sunday’s draw at Everton and have been ruled out.
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson may opt to rotate his squad and Andros Townsend and James McCarthy are among those pushing for recalls. Jeffrey Schlupp, Martin Kelly and James Tomkins remain on the sidelines.
Liverpool will be crowned Premier League champions if they beat Crystal Palace and Manchester City fail to win at Chelsea on Thursday. The Reds have won only two of their past seven matches in all competitions (D1, L4). They have dropped five points in their last three league games, more than they did in their previous 38 fixtures. The Reds have won their last 22 league games at Anfield, the best ever winning home run in English top-flight history. Liverpool are unbeaten in 55 home league matches (W45, D10) since a 2-1 defeat by Palace in April 2017. Their record of 27 wins, two draws and one defeat is the best by any club after 30 matches in the history of the top five European leagues. Only five of the Reds’ league-high 13 clean sheets have come at Anfield. Fabinho could feature in his 50th Premier League appearance. The Brazilian has been on the winning side in 23 of his 24 Premier League games at Anfield.
Palace are the Premier League’s in-form team with four straight wins, just one shy of their club record. Roy Hodgson’s side have lost seven of their 10 games against the clubs above them in the table (W1, D2). They have six points more after 30 matches of a Premier League season than they have ever had before. Palace have equalled their top-flight club record of four successive clean sheets, previously set in 1970, with goalkeeper Vicente Guaita not conceding a goal in 362 league minutes. They have scored a league-low nine first-half goals, with two of those coming at Bournemouth last Saturday. The Eagles are unbeaten in all nine games in which top scorer Jordan Ayew scored this season (W7, D2).
The other match-day 31 fixtures and results
Thursday, 25-06-2020
-Burnley vs Watford @8pm
-Southampton vs Arsenal @8pm
-Chelsea vs Man City @10:15pm
Tuesday, 23-06-2020
-Leicester City 0-0 Brighton and Hove Albion
-Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 West Ham United
