Born in the south east of Ireland, Simon put his life-long love of football to good use when he started a successful independent blog in 2010. That opened up an alternative route to a career in journalism, and having had work published across a number of sites and publications, Simon joined the staff at Spotlight Sports Group in 2018.
Counter-attacking experts and away day specialists Manchester United take their show on the road again this week, when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s top four hopefuls travel to Bramall Lane to take on Chris Wilder’s Blades on Thursday evening.
Winless and rooted to the foot of the Premier League table after 12 games, Sheffield United have endured a nightmare start to their 2020/21 campaign, and the side from the Steel City will need to sharpen up soon to avoid being cut adrift.
With the teams around them dropping points, a Man Utd outfit desperate to capitalise on their rival’s missteps won’t be sympathetic to their host’s plight however, though Solskjaer’s notoriously temperamental outfit will need to hit all the right notes to claim the victory they need to shoot up the standings.
Ahead of what should be a fascinating evening of football at Bramall Lane, we’ve put together a cracking looking 40/1 #OddsOnThat special with Betfair for Sheffield United’s clash with Manchester United.
Check out our selection below! You can find a more detailed analysis of the game, alongside our expert’s betting tips for the match in our Sheffield United vs Manchester United predictions.
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You can choose from a huge variety of markets and once you have decided on your selection, you can request a price for your acca from Betfair on Twitter using the #OddsOnThat hashtag.
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FST’s #OddsOnThat for Sheffield United vs Manchester United
Manchester United to win
Manchester United’s abstruse nature has been well documented this season, though the Red Devils remain a hugely potent force away from Old Trafford, as evidenced by their perfect winning record on their travels this season.
The dangerous counter-punchers took maximum points in each of their first five Premier League away assignments in 2020/21, though they have won 10 and drawn two of their last 12 matches on the road overall in a streak that stretches all the way back to their mid-February triumph at Chelsea.
Sheffield United meanwhile, were turned over in 11 of their 12 Premier League assignments this season, and the Blades’ performance in their 3-0 reverse at Leicester last time out was worryingly abject.
Both teams to score
While Man Utd’s surge of victories away from the Theatre of Dreams makes for impressive reading, it’s worth noting that the Red Devils had to come from behind to win each of their away matches this term, breaking a Premier League record to do so.
Defensively, United have looked far from secure all season long, and Solskjaer’s leaky backline travel to Bramall Lane having kept just two clean sheets in 10 fixtures in all competitions.
Sheffield United have managed to make an impact on the scoresheet in five of their last nine top-flight tests, despite a dismal points return from the same games, and the Blades look capable of nothing another consolation effort on Thursday.
Bruno Fernandes to score anytime
Portuguese maestro Bruno Fernandes is undoubtedly Manchester United’s most important player, and the talismanic 26-year-old is often the difference maker for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team.
The ex-Sporting star has already notched seven goals in 10 Premier League starts this season and his 12-goal overall haul in all competitions puts him way out in front as the club’s most prolific player.
The set-piece specialist will carry a huge amount of goal-scoring threat into Thursday’s game at Bramall Lane, and we think the schemer is worth backing again to get his name in lights.
Sander Berge to get booked
Norwegian midfielder Sander Berge is out on his own as Sheffield United’s most carded player this term, and the 22-year-old has already picked up four bookings in 11 Premier League starts since the summer.
Interestingly, three of the cautions amassed by Berge were collected in big games against Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea, which suggests the combative anchorman tends to tackle his way into trouble against the division’s loftier reputations.
Berge is expected to have a heavy defensive workload again when the Blades take on Man Utd this week, and the hard-hitting former Genk man looks a candidate worth backing in the individual cards markets as a result.
Paul Pogba 1+ shot on target
Paul Pogba has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons for Manchester United of late, following his agent’s public admission that the French World Cup winner is pushing for a move away from Old Trafford.
However, despite his representative’s bluster, it seems clear that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer intends to keep Pogba in the first team picture at United, and the enigmatic midfielder is expected to feature at Bramall Lane.
While Pogba has been deployed in a more withdrawn role during his fleeting appearances this season, his 0.8 attempts per game average shows that the 27-year-old still has the ability to pack a punch in the final third.
Pogba will be keen to let his feet do the talking this week, and the controversial Frenchman is priced generously to test Aaron Ramsdale with one of his efforts at Bramall Lane.
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Liverpool vs Tottenham in-depth (with 60/1 #OddsOnThat)
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