Sheffield United v Spurs – history, facts and stats

On Sunday afternoon, we head north to take on Sheffield United in the Premier League (2pm kick-off).

Ahead of the clash at Bramall Lane, we take a look at the history of the fixture, some of its recent key moments and the statistics behind both sides’ seasons so far, as well as the pre-match view from our opposition.

History

It has been over 45 years since we last claimed a league victory at Bramall Lane. Coming in December, 1975, in the old First Division, John Duncan scored a brace as we earned a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United at their 166-year-old home. In fact, ever since our maiden trip there in April, 1910, Bramall Lane has proved not to be a happy hunting ground for us.

In the last 111 years, we have made the journey to the Blades’ ground 45 times but have enjoyed success on just seven occasions – three of those came before the Second World War with a further three falling between 1965 and 1975. The seventh victory, the only one not to come in a league meeting, was secured in a fourth round League Cup tie in 1990 with goals from Paul Stewart and Paul Gascoigne helping us to a 2-0 win.

In the Premier League, in four trips to date, we have picked up one point from a possible 12, scoring three goals while conceding 13.

Since that game, however, we have not failed to score in any of our last eight meetings with the Blades with our last two goals against United – the opener in a 1-1 home draw in November, 2019, and a late consolation in a 3-1 defeat in July, 2020 – both coming through our top scorers this season, Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane. Sonny was on target against Sheffield United in the November, 2019, draw at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium while he also provided the assist for Harry to fire home at Bramall Lane in July.

Spurs in Yorkshire

While we have been frustrated on our visits to Bramall Lane in the last half-a-century, we do have a strong recent record when it comes to trips to the county of Yorkshire. In our last 19 visits to the home of the White Rose we have suffered just five defeats in meetings with six different teams based in the county. In visits to both Doncaster Rovers and Huddersfield Town we hold a 100 per cent record in that time having won all three of our trips to the two outfits. Meanwhile, against Middlesbrough, Hull City and Leeds United, we have suffered just one defeat to each of them in 13 trips during that period. The other two defeats, however, have fallen in our last three visits to the home of the Blades.

In the Premier League, Harry Kane has scored 11 goals in his last 13 games against teams from Yorkshire – most recently when he hit the target in our 3-0 win over Leeds United on 2 January. Meanwhile, in his eight most recent trips to Yorkshire in all competitions – in visits to Hull City, Sheffield United, Huddersfield and Doncaster Rovers – the striker has been directly involved in 12 goals.

Our number 10 is now just three goals away from taking second spot in our all-time goalscorers' list from Bobby Smith (208). So far this season, our homegrown forward has been involved in 22 Premier League goals in just 17 appearances - 32 goals in all competitions.

Harry's strikes in Yorkshire

Last five meetings

2 July, 2020 - Sheffield United 3-1 Spurs – Premier League
9 November, 2019 – Spurs 1-1 Sheffield United – Premier League
28 January, 2015 - Sheffield United 2-2 Spurs – League Cup semi-final, second leg
21 January, 2015- Spurs 1-0 Sheffield United – League Cup semi-final, first leg
10 February, 2007 – Sheffield United 2-1 Spurs – Premier League

‘I have to be the first one to never be happy…’

Our last Premier League outing was met with frustration. Having taken the lead on Wednesday night against Fulham through a wonderfully dispatched diving header from Harry Kane, we were pegged back late on by the Cottagers to see us take just a point from the game. It was another game where we have avoided a defeat, making it just two losses in our last 18 matches (11 wins, five draws). However, with three 1-1 draws in our last six league games and a late equaliser conceded in each of those, Jose Mourinho is demanding much more from the team.

“I have to be the first one to never be happy. I have to be the first one to always want more and more and more. Yes, two defeats in 18, but that could be one instead of two, and could be more victories instead of as many draws as we have,” Jose explained.

“The difference between one draw and one victory is two points, and the difference between one point and three points in the majority of the cases is also a small, big detail. That small, big detail is the goal that kills the match, or a defensive mistake that allows the opponent to take a point and be happy with that. We could be better.”

Sunday’s hosts Sheffield United come into the game sitting bottom of the Premier League table, six points adrift of 19^th placed West Bromwich Albion and nine points behind Brighton & Hove Albion, who sit just above the relegation zone in 17^th.

A key issue for the Blades so far this season has been their output in front of goal. After 18 games played, the men in red and white have scored the lowest number of goals in the league with just nine to their name – an average of 0.5 goals a game. That slender return has seen them fail to win 17 games so far this campaign.

However, following a run of 21 games without a win (D3 L18) in all competitions, Chris Wilder’s side come into this encounter having won back-to-back matches. Claiming their first league win of the season on Tuesday with a 1-0 win over Newcastle United, they’ll be looking to back that up with another victory when we make the trip to Bramall Lane on Sunday. And, despite their difficult start to the season, there is historical precedent to suggest they could make it back-to-back league wins.

Only two other teams in the history of English football have gone as many as 17 games without a win from the start of a season – Burnley in 1889/90 and Bolton in 1902/03 - but both of those teams went on to register back-to-back league wins after winning their first games of their campaigns – a record that United could match with a win on Sunday.

Their win over Newcastle, coupled with a 3-2 win over Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup third round three days earlier, is a platform of results that Wilder is keen to build on and something he believes his side can’t afford to waste.

“It might not look a spectacular result at Bristol but it helped the players and they used that (against Newcastle) and now the key is to take it forward," the Blades boss explained after his side’s win over the Magpies. “We can't waste it. We have been after one of these results for a long, long time. We've lost so many games by a single goal but we have remained competitive.

"I think a lot of the teams we have played will vouch for that. We have done okay this season and teams may be scratching their heads as to why we were only on two points, but that's the cold facts of it. We have added a vital three to that now and it is important we move on from here."