Chelsea vs Sheffield United preview, team news, kick-off

Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Chelsea vs Sheffield United in the Premier League on Saturday; kick-off 5.30pm.

Team news

Christian Pulisic will miss Chelsea's Premier League clash with Sheffield United at Stamford Bridge due to continued hamstring issues.

Pulisic pulled out of Chelsea's 3-0 Premier League win at Burnley but though he had returned to low-level training earlier in the week, the USA forward continues to struggle with the issue.

Winger Kai Havertz will also be missing as he continues his self-isolation after testing positive for Covid-19.

Kepa Arrizabalaga is fit after shoulder trouble, though Edouard Mendy should remain in goal after six successive shut-outs.

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Sheffield United will be without Ethan Ampadu against his parent club.

Chris Wilder could recall Oliver Norwood, or deploy Sander Berge in the centre of midfield and start contract rebel John Lundstram on the right.

John Fleck (back) and Lys Mousset (toe) have boosted Wilder's still winless side by returning to training but this game will come too soon.

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How to follow

Live Premier League

Chelsea vs Sheffield United will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Premier League from 5pm on Saturday Night Football; kick-off at 5.30pm. Sky Sports customers can watch in-game clips in the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.

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Jones Knows' prediction

My timeline was not a pretty picture last weekend when the referee blew his whistle at the end of Chelsea's 3-0 win over Burnley. Blues fans came at me, mostly in good spirits, cupping their ear in my direction after I had made a case for Burnley at 11/2. I will never apologise for having a pop at a price.

Well, Sheffield United - a team that have played far better than their position in the Premier League table suggests - are even bigger in the market than Burnley this weekend. You can get 7/1 on an away win.

The case can be made too. The Blades beat Chelsea 3-0 at Bramall Lane last season and dug out a deserved 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.

Have they tempted me in? I would be in line for a bravery award if so.

Edouard Mendy is going for a seventh straight clean sheet and his relationship with Thiago Silva and Kurt Zouma in front of him is a trio to fear when it comes to defensive solidity. Chris Wilder's men are the joint lowest scorers this season in the Premier League with Burnley - netting just three goals, and two of those were penalties.

The Chelsea bandwagon still does not have me as a passenger but I do fancy them for a low-scoring home win this weekend against the blunt Blades.

JONES KNOWS PREDICTS: 1-0 (6/1 with Sky Bet)

Opta stats

• Chelsea have conceded exactly twice in five of their last six home league games against Sheffield United (W2 D2 L2), keeping a clean sheet in the other (3-0 in March 2007).
• Sheffield United avoided defeat in both league games against Chelsea last season (W1 D1), coming from 0-2 down to draw 2-2 in this exact fixture in August 2019.
• Sheffield United are one of just four clubs against whom Chelsea have lost more Premier League games than they've won (W3 L4), alongside Oldham Athletic (W0 L3), Liverpool (W20 L23) and Arsenal (W19 L20).
• Chelsea are unbeaten in their last five Premier League games (W2 D3), last having a longer run in the competition between September-November 2019 (6).
• One point from seven games marks Sheffield United's joint-worst ever start to a league campaign in their history (level with 1975-76, when they finished bottom of the top-flight). Meanwhile, the Blades haven't remained winless in their first eight games of a league campaign since 1990-91.
• Sheffield United have taken just one point from their last 30 available in the Premier League (W0 D1 L9). They last had a longer run without a league victory than their current run of 10 back in March 2011 (14).
• Sheffield United have scored with just 5.1% of their shots in the Premier League this season (3/59) - only Burnley have a lower conversion rate so far (5%). Meanwhile, Chelsea have converted 18.8% of their efforts (16/85), the third highest in the competition this season.
• Since beating Chelsea 3-0 in July, Sheffield United have netted just four goals in 10 Premier League games, with two of those coming from the penalty spot.
• Chelsea's Edouard Mendy has kept a clean sheet in each of his three Premier League starts, and could become just the fourth keeper to keep a clean sheet in each of his first four in the competition after Alex Manninger, Pepe Reina and Anders Lindegaard.
• After failing to score or assist a goal in any of his first four Premier League appearances, Chelsea's Timo Werner has been involved in four goals in his last three games in the competition (3 goals, 1 assist).

Pitch to Post Preview Podcast: Jamie Carragher on Man City v Liverpool; Steve Bruce on Callum Wilson; Chelsea's title chances assessed

Jamie Carragher and Steve Bruce are among the guests on this week's Pitch to Post Preview Podcast.

Sky Sports pundit Carragher joins Peter Smith and Adam Bate to look ahead to the big Super Sunday clash between Man City and Liverpool, while Steve Bruce is on the line to discuss Newcastle's Friday Night Football trip to Southampton and the form of star striker Callum Wilson.

Also on the show we analyse how Chelsea have turned around their defensive problems, how Leicester have coped with injury problems, and Adam makes a bold Pitch.

Listen to the Sky Sports Pitch to Post Podcast on: Spotify | Apple | Castbox

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