In the last game, Sheffield United lost 2-1 to Nottingham Forest. Manchester City, on the other hand, won 1-0 against Newcastle United. During their first game against Crystal Palace, Sheffield United needed some good attacking plays, and their new player Gustavo Hamer provided that with a great goal against Forest. But even with that effort, they lost the match. Taiwo Awoniyi from Nottingham Forest scored an early goal, and even though Hamer's goal was impressive, Chris Wood scored the winning goal for Forest in the 89th minute.
Sheffield United needs to improve their defense against crosses. They have conceded all three of their goals this season from crosses. This has led them to be in the 16th position in the early standings.
It's uncertain whether Hamer's great goal indicates better things to come for him. Sheffield United has had a tough time lately, losing five out of their last six matches and scoring only two goals. This has made their fans not very hopeful as they head to Bramall Lane for the upcoming match.
Manchester City played without Kevin De Bruyne due to a hamstring injury. Phil Foden stepped up and played a crucial role in their win against Newcastle. He set up Julian Alvarez for a fantastic goal. Manchester City beat Burnley 3-0 in their first game. They are currently in the top three in the early standings, behind Brighton & Hove Albion.
Manchester City is aiming for three clean sheets in a row, which they haven't done since 2021. They have a new attacking player, Jeremy Doku, who recently joined from Rennes for a big fee. He could make his Premier League debut. Manchester City has won their last five matches against Sheffield United, keeping clean sheets in all of them. Sheffield United hasn't beaten Manchester City since the 2007-08 FA Cup fourth round, when Luton Shelton scored the winning goal.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
During Sheffield United's defeat against Nottingham Forest, the team faced additional problems in the form of injuries. Defender Max Lowe, midfielder Vinicius Souza, and attacker Benie Traore were all forced to leave the field. Unfortunately, Max Lowe won't be available for the match against the champions due to his injury.Manager Heckingbottom is already dealing with a long list of players who are unavailable. John Fleck (leg), Rhian Brewster (thigh), Ismaila Coulibaly (knee), Daniel Jebbison (groin), Jayden Bogle (knee), Anis Ben Slimane (thigh), and Rhys Norrington-Davies (thigh) are all out. However, there is good news as George Baldock (calf) and Oli McBurnie (foot) have returned to training.
If Vinicius Souza is not fit to start, Tom Davies, who previously played for Everton and recently joined Sheffield United on a free transfer, could get his first start. Another option could be Yasser Larouci, who might come in for Max Lowe on the left side.
Regarding new signing Jeremy Doku, he's eligible to play for Manchester City, but he's likely to start on the bench for Sunday's game. Bernardo Silva, who recently extended his contract until 2026, has recovered from illness and is expected to return, possibly pushing Phil Foden to the left side and Jack Grealish to the bench. Unfortunately, Kevin De Bruyne and John Stones are both dealing with injuries and won't be available until after the international break.
Despite playing in Piraeus, all 11 of Guardiola's starting players completed the full 90 minutes against Newcastle. A similar lineup might include James McAtee on the bench, who was part of the team that helped Sheffield United return to the Premier League last season.
On a different note, there will be a change on the sideline as Guardiola will miss the next two matches due to a back operation. Assistant head coach Juanma Lillo will take charge during Guardiola's absence.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Sheffield United possible starting lineup:Foderingham; Robinson, Egan, Ahmedhodzic; Baldock, Norwood, Souza, Larouci; Hamer, Traore; Osula
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Walker, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic; Silva, Alvarez, Foden; Haaland
EXPERT PREDICTION
Sheffield United 0-4 Manchester City
Sheffield United has struggled to score goals, so Manchester City's defense might not have a very hard time. This could lead to an easy win for the champions, getting nine points out of nine in a stylish way.
