Duel of relegation as top match in the Championship
The fourth weekend of Advent was not only marked by several match cancellations in the English Premier League, but also one tier further down the match day could not be carried out according to plan. In the toughest second division in the world, there were five match cancellations. Closing out the 23rd round are two teams that were still in the Premier League last season. Fulham and Sheffield United face each other at Craven Cottage.
The relegation of both clubs became apparent early on and accordingly the planning had to be put only in the direction of the second division. However, the team from London succeeded much better, because Fulham is on the best way to manage the return directly. The Blades from Sheffield are (still) a long way away from that. Accordingly, Fulham is the clear favourite against Sheffield United according to current betting odds.
Lately, however, there has been a bit of sand in the gears of the home side, who have had to settle for a draw in each of their last four games. In fact, for Sheffield, the difficult away game in London will be their first match since 4 December.
Fulham – Statistics & current form
For many clubs, relegation also means a big upheaval. Therefore, it is often seen that teams also have big problems one class further down. The team from London was able to keep the squad for the most part, strengthened it selectively and provided a new impulse from the sidelines with neo-coach Marco Silva. For many experts, the Cottagers were the big favourites right from the start.
Four draws in a row
An assessment that was to prove correct. After 22 completed match days, Fulham stood on one of the two direct promotion places no less than 17 times. At one point, the capital team even had a comfortable lead over the competition, but this melted away in the last few weeks.
Between matchday twelve and 18, Fulham celebrated seven wins in a row, with an impressive goal difference of 25:2. However, the 4:1 victory against Barnsley on 20 November was the last full success. Fulham will be winless for exactly a month when they meet Sheffield Wednesday, as their last four league games have all ended in a draw. The last three league games have ended in a 1-1 draw, so the prediction for Fulham against Sheffield United is for both teams to score.
Guarantee of success Aleksandar Mitrovic
The Championship is considered the toughest league in the world not only because of its packed fixture list (the 23rd round is already on the agenda), but also because of the way it is played. Fighting is the top maxim and teams with a strong game often have problems.
Fulham, however, seem to be the antithesis this season, as the attack-minded Silva eleven always provides spectacle. With 51 goals already, Fulham FC has the best attack in the league. Last year, this “title” was reserved for Brentford with 79 goals in 46 games. Aleksandar Mitrovic from Serbia is the outstanding player at Fulham, with 22 goals and five assists to his name.
Mitrovic had to miss the last game against Luton Town. Marco Silva, however, is confident that he will be available again in time
Predicted Fulham line-up:
Rodak – Bryan, Ream, Adarabiyo, Tete – Reid, Seri, Cairney – Kebano, Mitrovic, Wilson
Last matches played by Fulham:
Championship
12/20 2021 – Fulham 0 – 1 Sheffield United
12/11 2021 – Luton 1 – 1 Fulham
12/03 2021 – Fulham 1 – 1 Bournemouth
11/27 2021 – Preston 1 – 1 Fulham
11/24 2021 – Fulham 0 – 0 Derby
Sheffield United – Statistics & current form
The Blades were also looking to embark on their mission of promotion again with a new coach. But the engagement of Slavisa Jokanovic did not necessarily go as desired and at the end of November Sheffield United had to make the next change on the coaching bench.
Interim coach – U23 coach – Head coach
The successor was his predecessor at the same time, because now the club management could bring themselves to give Paul Heckingbottom a head coach contract. He was in charge of the Blades on an interim basis for eleven games at the end of last season, then moved back to the U23s and is now back in charge of the club.
A decision that has paid off so far, as there has been an upward trend recently. The PL relegated team won the last three league games and thus left the relegation zone behind. Despite being 14th in the table, the gap to the play-off sixth place is just six points with a game to spare.
Personnel worries complicate the situation
The current run of form got an unwanted break last weekend as the home game against Queens Park Rangers had to be postponed due to positive cases at the Hoops.
After a two-week break, Sheffield are now also struggling with personnel worries. Regular goalkeeper Olsen is definitely out, as well as Heckingbottom will have to do without Sander Berge, Rhian Brewster, Jack O’Connell and Oliver McBurnie due to injury. Oliver Norwood is serving a yellow ban, but John Fleck is fit again after collapsing in the Reading game.
The visitors will not be at their best in the relegation battle, but thanks to their upward form in recent weeks, they can be expected to do well. For a point win, odds of over 2.00 are offered for Fulham against Sheffield United at Tip X2.
Predicted Sheffield United line-up:
Foderingham – Stevens, Egan, Davies, Bogle – Gibbs-White, Fleck, Hourihane – Mousset, Sharp
Last matches played by Sheffield United:
Championship
12/20 2021 – Fulham 0 – 1 Sheffield United
12/04 2021 – Cardiff 2 – 3 Sheffield United
11/28 2021 – Sheffield United 2 – 0 Bristol City
11/23 2021 – Reading 0 – 1 Sheffield United
11/20 2021 – Sheffield United 0 – 0 Coventry
Fulham – Sheffield United Direct Comparison / H2H Record
There are a total of 65 duels in the database, but only four games are really worth mentioning in terms of Monday’s fixture. In the 2017/18 season, Fulham’s promotion year, there were two goal festivals to watch, with the Cottagers getting the better end of both (5:4 and 3:0). Last season saw far less spectacle. There was a 1-1 draw at Bramall Lane and Fulham won the home game 1-0.
Fulham – Sheffield United Tip
With the recent developments at the visitors from Sheffield, this match on Monday night can indeed be called an absolute top match again. Two relegated teams with a clear goal of re-promotion face each other. The Cottagers, as current league leaders, also enjoy home advantage, but the odds of a maximum of 1.78 for a home win on Fulham vs. Sheffield are not really interesting.
Sheffield United are a team that can basically keep pace with Fulham. The home side are currently showing a slight period of weakness with four draws en suite. Accordingly, the prediction on the double chance X2 with six units is recommended as a bet between Fulham and Sheffield United.
