Sheffield United are still searching for their first Premier League win of the season as they prepare to host Manchester City at Bramall Lane on Saturday.
Five defeats and one draw have left the Blades second-bottom in the table, while Man City are 13th on eight points after five games.
Chris Wilder’s side kicked off their campaign with four straight defeats to Wolves, Aston Villa, Leeds, and Arsenal, scoring just a single goal along the way.
Sheff Utd secured their first point of the season with a 1-1 draw against Fulham on Matchday 5, although they quickly returned to losing ways the following weekend.
Despite taking the lead through a Sander Berge penalty at Anfield on Saturday, the Blades eventually lost 2-1 to the reigning champions.
Sheff Utd have now won just one of their last 11 games in all competitions and have lost eight of their previous ten.
Only seven sides in the division have a better defensive record than Sheff Utd this term. However, it is hardly surprising that Wilder’s men are the joint-lowest scorers.
Meanwhile, by their own high standards, Manchester City have made a below-par start to the 2020/21 campaign.
With two wins, two draws, and one defeat to their name, Pep Guardiola’s side find themselves in the bottom half of the table.
Man City come into this match on a six-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, although draws with Leeds and West Ham have prevented them from moving up the table.
Guardiola’s men have looked great in the Champions League, beating Porto 3-1 last week before cruising to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Marseille on Tuesday.
However, when it comes to the Premier League, it’s fair to say that Man City have looked lost at both ends of the pitch.
Still, let’s not forget that Guardiola’s side have not lost any of their previous six away games in all competitions.
Head-to-head: Sheff Utd and Man City have faced each other four times in the Premier League in recent years, with City going unbeaten during that period.
Three wins and one draw have seen Man City keep four straight clean sheets against Sheff Utd, so it is difficult to imagine the Blades getting anything from Saturday’s clash.
Team news: John Fleck, Max Lowe, Lys Mousset and Jack O’Connell are all unavailable for selection for Sheff Utd.
Sergio Aguero, Fernandinho and Benjamin Mendy are all sidelined for Man City, while Nathan Ake and Gabriel Jesus will be assessed ahead of the weekend.
When you couple Sheff Utd’s dismal start to the season with Man City’s recent record in this fixture, all the signs point towards a comfortable away win.
Forebet predicts that Man City will once again keep a clean sheet against Sheff Utd, with all three points going to Guardiola’s side.