Arsenal vs Sheffield Utd prediction: ENGLAND: Premier League betting tips on match 2023-10-27 14:00.
Last season’s runners up Arsenal will look to continue legitimising their Premier League (PL) title credentials by seeing off basement boys Sheffield United here. Mikel Arteta's side did drop points in their last league outing away at Chelsea, but showed great determination to bounce back from two goals down to salvage a point against their London rivals – ensuring they remain one of just three sides still unbeaten across the England’s top four tiers coming into the weekend (W6, D3).
The Gunners followed up on that point at Stamford Bridge with a 2-1 win over Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, but Mikel Arteta’s men were dealt a blow when Gabriel Jesus, who had a hand in both goals, was forced off with a hamstring injury. That may sideline him here, but the home fans will still be confident they can keep building momentum given that Arsenal are unbeaten in 36 PL games at the Emirates Stadium against newly-promoted sides, a run that stretches back to 2010 (W31, D5).
While the 2023/24 season remains in its infancy Sheffield United’s prospects already look incredibly bleak. A 2-1 defeat to Manchester United on Saturday was their eighth loss of the PL campaign, with their one point after nine rounds the joint-worst return at this stage in competition history. Rather ominously, it was the Blades’ 2020/21 campaign that also started in this manner, and ended in relegation to the Championship.
Paul Heckingbottom’s men have wilted as games have gone on, already conceding eight goals beyond the 75th minute in the PL this term. The severity of that troublesome trend is amplified when you take into account no team has scored more PL goals in this period than Arsenal coming into the round (six).
Key battle: Including in his last six successively, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka has either scored or assisted a goal in seven of his eight PL appearances this season. Trying to keep him quiet will be Sheffield United goalkeeper Wes Foderingham; he’s made more saves this season (48) than any other PL goalkeeper coming in the round.
Hot stat: Sheffield United have won just two of their last 19 league games against Arsenal, neither of which came on the road.