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2023/24 English Premier League
Matchday 3
Sheffield United v Manchester City
Bramall Lane
Sheffield, England
Sunday, 27 August 2023
Kick-off is at 15h00
Sheffield United will have to pull out all the tricks to prevent Manchester City from making it three
Premier League wins in a row at Bramall Lane on Sunday, August 27.
The Citizens got their title defence up and running with a comfortable 3-0 victory at Burnley on the opening weekend of the new season before edging Newcastle 1-0 on home soil eight days later.
Pep Guardiola's side are one of just three clubs with a 100 per cent record in the league and they'll be expected to maintain that run in South Yorkshire.
Alamy Stock Photo
The Blades have yet to put a point on the board since gaining promotion as runners-up in the Championship last term, although they came close to earning a draw against Nottingham Forest on matchday 2.
After falling to a narrow 1-0 defeat at home to Crystal Palace on their return to the top flight, Paul Heckingbottom's side looked on course to draw 1-1 with the Reds before Chris Wood scored a dramatic 89th-minute winner.
Sheffield United have never beaten City in six previous attempts in the Premier League and are hoping to avoid a sixth straight defeat.
Oli McBurnie may have to shoulder the goalscoring burden this season after the Blades sold top scorer Iliman Ndiaye to Marseille in the off-season. The Scotland international enjoyed his best season in the club's colours last term with a return of 13 goals from 38 appearances to finish just one behind Ndiaye.
Image copyright: Getty Images
Phil Foden has started the first two games of the season on the wing and registered his first assist with a lovely reverse pass for Julian Alvarez to score the winner against the Magpies. The England international could finally get the chance to nail down a regular place in the starting line-up following the departure of Riyad Mahrez to the Saudi Pro League in July.
Heckingbottom admits it is tough having to rebuild his squad so late into the transfer window after losing his best players to other clubs, but he's relishing the opportunity to develop new talent as the campaign progresses.
"I just feel for the players a little bit because they deserved more than this," he said. "If you sign players in June or July, you have two or three months with them by the end of August.
"If you sign them in August you are looking at September, October into November before you are really happy. It is something I have prepared for. I wish we weren't doing it in the Premier League, but it can't scare us, it can't be an excuse.
"There is a commitment to get the players in, we will get them in, but it's tough. It's tough recruiting, we could go and get one tomorrow, but it wouldn't be the one I want. I am playing my part in that, part of my brief is to develop players and make money for the club as well.
"I have to believe in a player and he has to be able to come and add. We will get them, I just wish we had them. But it's no one fault, we can't control when clubs come and take our players. Circumstances have meant we have been vulnerable."
Guardiola will have to lean heavily on his entire squad in the coming months following injuries to John Stones in pre-season and Kevin De Bruyne on the opening weekend.
"We will need everyone for this schedule and calendar," the Spaniard said. "John [Stones] will not be ready until after the international break. Kevin [De Bruyne] four or five months out maybe.
"In this one or two months, the club will have to take some important decisions about the squad because we didn't expect Kevin's injury or Riyad [Mahrez] to leave.
"Now we are who we are. There were a lot of young players on the bench today against Newcastle. The difference is that. We are few people but the guys who want to be here, let's try to do it."
Head-to-Head (Last Five Premier League Meetings)
Matches - 5
Sheff United - 0
Man City - 5
Draws - 0
Matchday 3 fixtures:
Friday, August 25
21h00: Chelsea v Luton Town
Saturday, August 26
13h30: Bournemouth v Tottenham Hotspur
16h00: Arsenal v Fulham
16h00: Brentford v Crystal Palace
16h00: Everton v Wolverhampton Wanderers
16h00: Manchester United v Nottingham Forest
18h30: Brighton & Hove Albion v West Ham United
Sunday, August 27
15h00: Burnley v Aston Villa
15h00: Sheffield United v Manchester City
17h30: Newcastle United v Liverpool
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