No sooner has the new Premier League started, that the majority of the top 20 clubs in England will be given a break from league action. Those not participating in a European tournament will be involved in the Carabao Cup Round 2, which the Blades travel to Burnley this evening (kick-off: 5:30 pm), with the winners facing Millwall at the Den.
The game will be played for 90 minutes. If there is no winner at 90 minutes, with the scores level, then penalties will be played out to determine the winner. There will be no extra-time.
Sheffield United have yet to win the League Cup trophy. The closest the Blades came was in 2003 and 2015 when they reached the semi-final stage, but lost out to eventual winners Liverpool and Tottenham – both over two legs. Burnley have also yet to win this competition. In 2009, en-route to promotion via the Play-off Final, beating United at Wembley, they made it to the semi-final, where they too lost to eventual winners Tottenham. They had beaten Arsenal 2-0 in the Quarter-Final with former Blades midfielder Kevin McDonald both goals.
The draw for Round 3 has already been made with the victors of this tie facing Millwall away, who beat Cheltenham Town 3-1 two days ago, with the game to be played on the week commencing 21st September.
United started the new season in a disastrous start, losing 0-2 at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers, with both goals coming from, Raul Jimenez and Romain Saiss inside the first six minutes of the match. United battled hard in the second half but couldn’t find the net. There evening was summed up when Oli McBurnie’s effort was cleared off the line towards the end of the match.
Blades boss Chris Wilder may opt to make wholesale changes to the starting eleven tonight and could make up to eight changes tonight, with keeper Wes Foderingham, defender Ethan Ampadu, wing-backs Max Lowe and Jayden Bogle, and forward Oliver Burke, possibly, could make their Blades debuts tonight.
WHAT’S THE SCORE?
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This will be Burnley’s first professional game of the season after their opening day fixture with Manchester United was postponed, to give the Red Devils an extra break having completed their European competition whilst the other clubs played our friendly fixtures. The fixture between Manchester City and Aston Villa was postponed for the same reason also.
They kept themselves in training with a friendly against Portuguese side Maritimo last Friday, which Burnley won 3-0.
Clarets boss Sean Dyche will be without trio Ben Mee (thigh), Ashley Barnes (groin), and son of former Sheffield United forward Alan Cork, Jack Cork is also absent through an ankle injury.
They may also be without highly-rated defender James Tarkowski. He netted in the Blades 1-1 draw with Burnley last June but has recently been linked with a big-money move away from the club.
He may opt to field former Blades defenders Phil Bardsley, 35, and Matt Lowton, 31. Bardsley played 16 times for United under then-boss Bryan Robson during the 2007-08 season, whilst Lowton came through the Academy at United, playing between the years 2007 and 2012 and chalked up 78 appearances as well as scoring 10 goals for the club, before joining Aston Villa for £3million.
Dyche himself also played a match for the Blades in 1994 as a trialist in a reserve game, whilst he was playing for Chesterfield.
Last Time
05.06.2020 – Burnley 1-1 Sheffield United
Forthcoming Blades Fixtures;
21 Sep – Aston Villa (a) – 18:00
27 Sep – Leeds United (h) 12:00
03 Oct – Arsenal (a) 15:00
17 Oct – Fulham (h) 15:00
24 Oct – Liverpool (a) 15:00
31 Oct – Manchester City (h) 15:00
