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Horse Racing Preston vs Sheffield United Prediction: Team News and Lineups
The return of domestic football is finally amongst us and Matthew O’Regan has his Preston vs Sheffield United prediction, team news, lineups and fixtures preview. Despite an embarrassing relegation and off-the-field issues, Sheffield United head into this Championship season in a much stronger position than Preston North End, and the tips in this preview reflect that.
- Preston vs Sheffield United Tip 1: Sheffield United -0.25 Asian Handicap
- Preston vs Sheffield United Tip 2: Kieffer Moore to Score
- Preston vs Sheffield United Tip 3: Sheffield United 0.0 Asian Handicap Corners
2024/25 Season Preview on The Football Betting Pod: Abundant Ante-Post Angles
We’re back, as host Daniel Jenkins is joined by bettingexpert Football Editor, Sam Ingram, and bettingexpert contributor, Jack Wright, who serve up fifteen selections between them.
The pair take a forensic look at the ante-post outright betting markets with the aim of serving up a number of value selections ahead of the return of domestic football in the Premier League, Championship, League One and Two.
Preston vs Sheffield United Prediction 1: Blades to look sharp
England, Championship, Friday, August 9th, 19:45 (UK)
Sheffield United endured a torrid Premier League return, finishing on 16 points with just three wins. The Blades struggled throughout, gaining just one point from their opening 10 games, also ending the season with 104 conceded goals – the most in a Premier League.
Even the appointment of the hugely popular Chris Wilder could not spark life back into the Blades as they slid straight back down to the Championship with a whimper. After guiding United to Premier League promotion previously, the 56-year-old fancies another crack of the whip and is building a strong-looking side for the season despite off-the-field uncertainty.
The experienced quartet of John Egan, George Baldock, Chris Basham and Oliver Norwood have moved on, while Cameron Archer, William Osula and Jayden Bogle have been sold- generating much needed cash for the Blades. All together, 12 first team players have departed, with this season a much needed freshen up of an underperforming side.
A mammoth 12 goals and 17 assists from left wing-back for Peterborough prompted Sheffield United to sign Harrison Burrows, while the prolific Kieffer Moore joins to replace the departed striker trio of William Osula, Oli McBurnie and Cameron Archer.
Incomings, incomings, incomings
Jamie Shackelton and Sam McCallum add depth at full-back on a free. Callum O’Hare is perhaps their biggest coup after signing on a free from Coventry. A midfield of Olly Arblaster, Gus Hamer and Callum O’Hare is ridiculously strong and should put the Blades in good stead for the season.
Preston are in a bit of a sticky situation in the manager department. While it could be argued Ryan Lowe has done a commendable job at Deepdale given the limitations and budget, Preston fans have yet to warm to him so he is up against it from the start this season.
North End started last season on fire, winning six and drawing two of their opening eight games, leaving them top of the table come the end of September. However, they experienced a serious drop off to come 10th, including losing their last five games without scoring a goal.
They’ve also had a quiet summer with Sam Greenwood on loan from Leeds and Stefan Teitur Thordarson the only incomings, while midfield starwalt Alan Browne has moved to Sunderland.
With Preston’s shaky end to last season and the sense of optimism finally back at Bramall Lane, Sheffield United look good value to start the season on the front foot as they attempt to overcome their -2 point deduction.
- Preston vs Sheffield United Prediction 1: Sheffield United 0.0, -0.5 Asian Handicap
- Best Odds: 2.040
- Bookmaker: bet365
- Stake: 8/10
Preston vs Sheffield United Prediction 2: Moore goals for Kieffer
Sheffield United struggled for goals last season, scoring just 35 – the lowest total in the league. To address this, the vastly experienced Kieffer Moore has been signed from Bournemouth. Moore averaged 0.55 goals per 90 in an extremely successful loan spell with the promoted Ipswich and is a big signing for a Sheffield United side desperately calling out for a striker.
His previous Championship campaign in 2021/2022 saw him score 0.51 goals per 90, a slight regression on his 0.53 the season before, where he scored 20 goals in 40 starts for Cardiff. Moore suits the blades to a T, with Wilder utilising wing-backs very efficiently. With the creative maestro Harrison Burrows supplying him from the left, Moore should be presented with plenty of opportunities to showcase his phenomenal aerial ability.
Cardiff were the only team in the top 18 teams in the league to concede more than Preston’s 67, with North End failing to keep a clean sheet in any of their last seven league games.
Moore is a player who’s exceeded 0.50 goals per 90 in his last three Championship seasons and will be licking his lips at the prospect of facing a Preston side who have yet to improve on last season’s leaky defence.
- Preston vs Sheffield United Prediction 2: Kieffer Moore to score
- Best Odds: 3.50
- Bookmaker: bet365
- Stake: 7/10
Preston vs Sheffield United Prediction 3: United to rack up corners
Chris Wilder has become renowned for his 3-5-2 formation, with the wing backs given greater licence to roam forward and provide the creativity for the side. The signing of Harrison Burrows further illustrates the importance of width for The Blades, with the 22-year-old excelling further up the pitch.
While they were massively out of their depth in the Premier League, their corner counts showed their utilisation of width. In their 20 games in 2024, the Blades won the corner count in 10/20 games including six of last eight, only coming up short against Manchester United and Tottenham.
Preston on the other hand won the corner count a mere 4/20 times, including losing in their last five games. Ryan Lowe’s side averaged just 3.6 corners over these 20 games. There is a real concern of a lack of width in the Lilywhites side, especially now since Liam Miller has returned to parent club FC Basel.
In a game I expect Sheffield United to dominate, they should rack up plenty of corners.
- Preston vs Sheffield United Prediction 3: Sheffield United 0.0 Asian Handicap Corners (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 1.70
- Bookmaker: bet365
- Stake: 10/10
Preston vs Sheffield United Prediction odds via bet365 as at 13:00, August 5th, 2024. Odds may now differ.
Preston vs Sheffield United Team News and Possible Lineups: Continuity for Preston; Change for Sheffield United
With it being the first game of the season it is hard to predict how teams may set-up, especially in Sheffield United’s case with so much squad upheaval.
However, with only two new signings, Preston’s becomes more predictable. Lowe will start with a back three, with Jordan Storey, Liam Lindsay and Andrew Hughes as the centre backs. The trio made 35, 46 and 40 Championship starts respectively.
The lack of wing-back depth means that Brad Potts will fill in on the right and Robbie Brady on the left. Ben Whiteman is a mainstay in the team and is likely to be partnered by creative maestro Mads Frøkjaer Jensen and new signing Stefan Teitur Þoroarson, while top scorer Will Keane is set to be partnered by Emil Riis Jakobsen.
Matching formations
Sheffield United should set up in the same formation as Preston, leading to an intriguing tactical battle. Having not played a single game last season, Adam Davies is expected to start in goal due to the departure of Wes Foderingham and the poor form of Ivo Grbic.
Anel Ahmedhodzic and Jack Robinson are shoo-ins to start, and Alfie Gilchrist may start if his loan deal from Chelsea goes through in time. The width will be provided by academy product Femi Seriki and Harrison Burrows. The midfield three of Hamer, Arblaster and O’Hare is one of the strongest midfields in the league, while Rhian Brewster who has struggled for goals in Yorkshire should partner new signing Kieffer Moore up front.
Preston possible starting lineup:
Woodman; Potts, Storey, Lindsay, Hughes, Brady; Whiteman, Thordarson, Frokjaer; Keane, Riis
Sheffield United possible starting lineup:
Davies; Seriki; Ahmedhodzic, Robinson, Gilchrist; Burrows; Arblaster, Hamer, O’Hare; Moore, Brewster
Match Stats: Record-Breaking United
- Sheffield United’s 104 goals conceded is a Premier League record.
- Sheffield United’s -69 goal difference was the joint lowest in Premier League history
- Sheffield United conceded a record 57 home goals
- Sheffield United have won 54 of the 122 meetings, with Preston winning 36
Preston Fixtures: Tough start for Lilywhites
- Vs Sheffield United (H)
- Vs Sunderland (H)
- Vs Swansea (A)
- Vs Luton Town (H)
- Vs Oxford United (A)
Sheffield United Fixtures: Blades looking to bounce back
- Vs Preston (A)
- Vs Wrexham (H)
- Vs QPR (H)
- Vs Norwich (A)
- Vs Watford (H)
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