Sheffield United

Sheffield United unveiled a new recruitment team last week as part of further restructuring that will hopefully improve some recently-dreadful transfer business.

The departure of Paul Mitchell indicated the club was looking for a fresh approach, and they have brought in Jamie Hoyland - recently of Everton - as chief scout and Mike Allen as head of recruitment.

It would be easy to be cynical about the hires; Allen previously worked with manager Chris Wilder at United, Middlesbrough and Watford, while Hoyland is a former United player who certainly has an existing relationship with the current boss. The ties to Wilder seem to indicate that the manager himself will have a very strong say in recruitment, which rather undermines the intention of a "fresh approach".

However, I am encouraged by Allen - who had over a decade as an analyst with United until Wilder left in 2021 - taking on a new role, with the club making noises about taking a more data-driven approach. Allen was most recently head of analysis at previous clubs, and here he takes on the ostensibly bigger job of head of recruitment.

From the outside looking in, United have felt pretty old school in their recruitment in recent years, certainly compared to analytically-minded clubs like Brentford, Brighton and Luton. Appointing someone with a more modern skillset feels like a positive step towards moving the club forward ahead of a huge summer of transfer business.

Ben Meakin can be found at BladesPod, external

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's eight Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up on the action on BBC iPlayer here.

And you can watch highlights of Sunday's games on Match of the Day 2 here.

Also, listen back to Saturday's BBC Radio 5 Live match commentaries in full on BBC Sounds:

• West Ham United v Luton Town

• Nottingham Forest v Chelsea

Chris Wilder spoke to BBC Match of the Day after Sheffield United's defeat against Everton: "Yet again in another away game, we wrote down at the team meeting was to execute big moments, take big moments. I don't think I'm looking through rose tinted glasses, the team have took some beatings this year and are a team that clearly lacks confidence and belief. When that happens you take an extra touch or misplace a pass, and that's what happened today.

"Everton didn't dominate the game by any means, we created enough openings to get something. Listen they have made a great run of it lately, but yet again we have competed. That is standard, so I'm not going to praise that or give that a clap.

"Yet again the goal is poor, we should do better with it. Then we are chasing the game, we created enough in the second half but couldn't execute it. We are towards the finish line for the season now and it's not been good enough right the way through.

On which moments may have changed the game: "Tell you what, we're going to sit on the crossbar and try and get beaten 4-0. Of course not, of course we wanted to try and take the game to them and try and create chances. We did that. As I said it is another disappointing day.

"It's not disappointing in terms of the support we have received, at times we deserved a clap, at other times we didn't. It is humbling going over to the away fans at the end, 3,000 or so Sheffield United fans that have hope and belief for next season. I've certainly got that too.

"We are saying the same things in the changing room. Same as last week and the week before, right the way through. Big summer and a big change of attitude and culture and big decisions to make."

• Everton have won five consecutive Premier League home games without conceding for the first time since March-August 2019, and for the first time in a campaign since March-May 2013.

• Sheffield United have conceded a goal in all 19 of their Premier League away games this season. It’s the fourth time in their league history they’ve not kept an away clean sheet across a full campaign, along with 1898-99 (17 games), 1953-54 (21) and 1977-78 (21).

• Abdoulaye Doucoure’s opener was his first Premier League goal since December; despite this, no Everton player has scored more league goals than the Malian this term (7).

• In his 89th game in charge, Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder suffered his 50th Premier League defeat – only Mick McCarthy (79) and Danny Wilson (87) have reached this unwanted milestone in fewer games than Wilder.

• Everton have kept a clean sheet in 85% of their Premier League wins this season (11/13), the highest share in the division. Indeed, each of their past 14 league wins at Goodison Park have been to nil (6 in 2022-23, 8 this season).

• Everton kept their 13th Premier League clean sheet of the season, second only to Arsenal (17) this term.

Everton enjoyed a successful send-off at Goodison Park this season with a Premier League victory over already-relegated Sheffield United.

The Toffees had ensured survival but triumphing in the last home game this term stretched their unbeaten run to five games, while the visitors became the first side to concede a record 101 goals in a season.

Abdoulaye Doucoure netted the winner on the half-hour mark courtesy of a close range header into an open net from Dominic Calvert-Lewin's cross.

The midfielder could have had another on the stroke of half-time but sent a looping effort wide of the post on this occasion.

In between, the Blades battled bravely and Andre Brooks cut in from the left and forced Jordan Pickford into a sharp save low down with a powerful drive, their only shot on target in the contest.

In-form Everton travel to Arsenal on the final day with the possibility of having a say in the title race, while Sheffield United end their miserable campaign at home to Tottenham.

Were you at the ground or following along from home?

Everton fans, give us your thoughts on the game.

Tell us what you made of the performance, Blades supporters.

Follow all the reaction here

There are eight Premier League games taking place today, and you can stay updated with all of them via our live page.

Keep up with all the action and reaction here.

Chris Sutton is making predictions for every Premier League game this season against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's matches, he takes on Kasabian frontman Serge Pizzorno.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

The pressure is all off Everton now, but this is their final home game of the season and they will want to sign off on a high note.

Sheffield United's campaign has been disastrous, from the start. They have conceded 100 league goals already, and I do not think they are stopping there.

You would not describe Everton as a free-scoring team, but the Blades have a habit of capitulating and I am going with a pretty routine win for Sean Dyche's side.

Serge's prediction: 2-0

This should be comfortable for Everton and surely Dyche is manager of the year for what he has done this season? Taking on that team has meant pressure from all angles, week-in, week-out.

Yet despite the points deduction, they are safe already and for once they can enjoy their last home game of the season rather than having to go through another one of those great escapes on the final day.

He is my manager of the year, for sure.

Read all of the predictions here

Chris Wilder has been speaking to the media before Sheffield United's trip to Everton on Saturday.

Here are the main lines from his news conference:

• On expiring contracts in the summer: "There's going to be casualties in there. With what's happened this season we know there's going to be some disappointed players who won't get offered contracts. We have to take it seriously and get it as perfect as we can."

• On youngster Ollie Arblaster: "He's been himself on and off the pitch. It hasn't affected him at all. His performances have been first class at the highest level. For a player of a young age he's shown outstanding maturity in and out of possession. I'm delighted that he's with the football club for another four years."

• When asked how to beat opponents Everton: "First of all we have to finish our chances. We have to execute better positions and opportunities to get that advantage and go up in games."

• On Toffees manager Sean Dyche: "I've got a long relationship with him and an awful amount of respect for Sean. At the start of the season, their performances were miles better than their results. He's had a lot to put up with this year and has handled it how everyone would expect him to."

• On the club's recruitment strategy in the summer: "We've always looked abroad. We have been a British based team which has done us no harm over the last seven or eight years. It's been difficult for the new guys to get out there [onto the continent] but we will build up that database of players. It's something we haven't really invested in enough."

• Wilder added on recruitment: "We're not going to have an open chequebook, we're going to have to be really smart about this. We're going to have to use the loan market again."

• On interest in Gustavo Hamer: "There's certain players that maybe won't want to be part of the journey and we understand that. There's certain players that we want to keep in the building and Gus is one of them. We are in a vulnerable position because of the finances involved in the Premier League. I can't categorically say that they'll be here for the next five years because I don't think that happens."

Here are the key facts and figures before Saturday's game between Everton and Sheffield United in the Premier League.

• Everton have lost five of their past seven home league games against Sheffield United (including the most recent two). The exceptions are a 4-2 win in August 1993 and a 2-0 victory in October 2006.

• Sheffield United have won more Premier League away games against Everton than they have any other opponent (three) and their four wins overall against them in the competition is their joint-most versus one side (also four against Chelsea).

• Everton have lost their final home league game in just one of the last eight campaigns. They have also won their final home game of the season for three years in a row since a 3-1 defeat to Bournemouth in 2019-20.

• The Blades have lost their final away game in each of their past four Premier League campaigns. The last time they won their final Premier League away game actually came at Everton in the 1992-93 season.

• Everton keeper Jordan Pickford has kept 12 clean sheets in the Premier League this season - his second-most in a single campaign after 2018-19 (14).

• Despite only joining the club in January, no Sheffield United player has scored more Premier League goals this season than Ben Brereton-Diaz (six). His rate of a goal every 158 minutes is the second best by any Blades player who has managed a minimum of 500 minutes in a single season after Nathan Blake in 1993-94 (one goal every 145 minutes).

A rare sighting of Daniel Jebbison in this week's Under-21 line-up is the latest sign that a contractual stalemate is coming to an end for one of United's most promising young talents.

It would be a welcome bit of positive news for the club to tie down a player that should be an asset in both footballing and financial terms, and someone whom a lot of fans had resigned to losing for free.

It is almost three years to the day since Jebbison became the youngest player in Premier League history to score on his first start, but the seasons that followed have been mixed. He was impressive during a League One loan at Burton before United recalled him because of a striker shortage - but then he barely left the bench and his career stalled.

Injuries and illness have essentially written off the past 12 months of his development, but hopefully this impending contract extension is the turning of a corner for him and the club.

United look like being short up front next season, with Oli McBurnie out of contract and Cameron Archer and Ben Brereton Diaz unlikely to return. Having a fit Jebbison - ideally motivated to make up for lost time - could go some way to alleviating those losses.

One of Jebbison's most recent appearances for us was during a promotion-celebrating thumping of Preston at the end of last season. He came off the bench, set up two goals and looked like a massive handful for Championship defenders. Here's hoping that was just a glimpse of what 2024-25 could hold for him and United.

Ben Meakin can be found at BladesPod, external

We asked for your views on Saturday's match between Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest.

Here are some of your answers:

Sheffield United fans

Sam: A rubbish season summed up. No fight from the players, or fans for that matter. Sad really, so much hope at the end of last year that was decimated in preseason and played out as expected throughout the season. Faith in football gone.

David: The Blades have never got going this season. We were always going to struggle as we are just not good enough and we lost some really good players from last season. It is OK blooding youngsters but not at the expense of Premier League survival. We need a few seasons in the Championship to build a side that CAN compete in the top flight. No magic from Chris Wilder.

Eric: Same old white flag. If we don’t have a clear out from top to bottom, I can see us going straight through to League One.

Graham: Chris Wilder promised the squad would be much stronger after January window - we weren't. He said players signed would be first-team players to make a difference - [Ivo] Grbic & Holgate [Mason] both not in the team now. There is a lack of leadership and he chose Holgate as captain instead of signing [Joe] Worrall. In League One, he made some good signings but many have been iffy since. Now there are [Gustavo] Hamer rumours - very I am worried about rebuild prospects.

Nottingham Forest fans

Martin: We weren’t perfect, but we were the better side and made it count. We improved in the second half and largely managed the match well. Odds of relegation so much lower now but not quite over the line. Great stuff.

Doug: A very important result for us, but it’s not a time to be complacent. We must be fully focused on the next two games to make sure we get the points we need to stay up.

Paul: Still make me feel nervous when defending though with [Willy] Boly back and alongside Murillo we seemed more secure. I wish they wouldn't back off until near their own penalty area before challenging an attacker. [But] thought the referee had a good game as hardly noticed him.

Trickytwigg: A game we should be expecting to win if we're serious about staying in the Premier League. That said, a solid performance. MGW had one of his more frustrating days but great to see Yatesy get his goal. We need to go again though!

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Friday and Saturday's six Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up on the action on BBC iPlayer here.

And you can watch highlights of Sunday's games on Match of the Day 2 here.

Listen back to Saturday's BBC Radio 5 Live match commentaries in full:

• Burnley v Newcastle United

• Manchester City v Wolves

Image source, Getty Images

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Press play and repeat. Goals change attitudes of games completely. To have nine opportunities, and not half-opportunities, good opportunities, we could have been two or three up.

"Everyone knows Hudson-Odoi has quality. Scratching my head how it was 1-1 at half-time. We should have been out of sight, without a doubt. We were by far the better team. They have got a lot to play for, we know that. But in terms of how we moved the ball and attacked it was really good. But we have got to put teams to bed. If we don't do that, then we open the door. We opened ourselves to the counter-attack and they punished us."

On Ben Brereton-Diaz's penalty shout: "We are down so it is not a difficult decision for VAR to give that [against us]. The cynical part of me would say it's a comfortable decision to give. I think it is a push in the back. Then it goes 2-1 and then 3-1 pretty quickly. You are going to have parts that are disappointing and you have to deal with adversity. I thought we did ok with that in terms of more shots in the second half. We have been punished pretty severely.

"When it went 3-1 we looked out on our feet. What it has told us is that this is a really physical league. In the last 15-20 minutes there were players who looked out on their feet."

On bringing youngsters into the team: "We know they have got to be good enough. We have got some young players out there now. We don't want to just give them favours. They have got to be good enough to be involved in first-team training and then with the selection process.

"It is a disappointing result because we should have put them to bed. We didn't do enough to put them to bed and when they got that opportunity, they did that."

Image source, Reuters

For 45 minutes, this was one of Sheffield United's best performances of the season.

Chris Wilder's already-relegated side overran Nottingham Forest for much of the first half and with some better decision making or more clinical finishing they could have been out of sight.

Instead, with a defence that went into the game having conceded at least two goals in their last nine games, every missed chance made it feel more and more inevitable that they would be punished.

So it proved. That run of two or more goals conceded went from nine to 10 games and when Forest scored their third, the Blades had a share of an unwanted Premier League record.

They have now conceded 100 league goals this season, equalling Swindon Town in 1993-94 - and the Robins' record came in a 42-game league campaign.

Chances spurned at one end, goals leaked at the other. For all that the first-half promised, this became just another frustrating game for the Blades - and one that sums up why they find themselves at the foot of the table.

• Nottingham Forest picked up their first away Premier League victory since a 3-1 win at Newcastle on Boxing Day, ending their seven-game winless run on the road. Indeed, this was just their fourth away league victory since the start of last season (P37 W4 D9 L24).

• Sheffield United have conceded 100 Premier League goals in 2023-24, the joint-most by a side in a single season in the competition’s history (Swindon also 100 in 42 games in 1993-94), while the last side to concede more in a 38-game top-flight campaign was Leicester City in 1908-09 (102).

• Sheffield United have failed to win any of their last five Premier League games in which they’ve gone 1-0 up, losing each of their last three in a row (D2),

• This was just the third time Nottingham Forest have ever won a Premier League away game having conceded first, also coming from behind to beat Leeds in April 1996 and Newcastle on Boxing Day this season.

• Sheffield United have been shown five red cards in the Premier League this season, their most in a single league campaign since 2010-11 (12 in the Championship).

• Despite not making his debut until late January, no player has scored more Premier League goals for Sheffield United this season than Ben Brereton Díaz (6). However, the Blades have failed to win any of the five games in which he’s found the back of the net (D2 L3).

• Nottingham Forest midfielder Ryan Yates scored his first ever Premier League goal in this game becoming the ninth different player to score in each of England’s top four tiers since the start of the 2017-18 season.

Callum Hudson-Odoi scored twice as Nottingham Forest took a big step towards Premier League survival by beating already-relegated Sheffield United.

Ben Brereton Diaz's penalty put the home side ahead at Bramall Lane before Hudson-Odoi's superb curling effort brought Forest level midway through the first half.

The Blades responded well but missed a host of first-half chances and were punished when Ryan Yates put the visitors ahead with a thumping effort six minutes after the break.

Hudson-Odoi then made sure of a vital three points for Nuno Espirito Santo's side when he cut inside and bent the ball past Blades goalkeeper Wes Foderingham into the far corner.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from elsewhere?

Sheffield United fans - let us know your thoughts on the game here

How did you rate the side's performance, Forest fans?

Follow all of the reaction here

Chris Sutton is making predictions for every Premier League game this season against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's matches, he takes on Kings of Leon drummer Nathan Followill.

Sutton's prediction: 0-2

This has to be seen as an open goal for Nottingham Forest.

They did well against Manchester City last week despite being beaten, but now they need to follow that up with a repeat performance that gets them the result they need.

Forest's focus has to be on how they play, rather than who is the referee or video assistant referee. If they can do that, they should beat a fragile-looking Sheffield United, who are already down.

The Blades played well in the first half against Newcastle last week but capitulated in the end.

With 97 Premier League goals conceded already this season, it looks very likely they will end up passing the century mark there - but will it happen on Saturday?

Nathan's prediction: 0-2

Read all of the predictions here

There are five Premier League matches taking place today and we will keep you updated on all of them.

Full commentary:

• Burnley v Newcastle, 15:00 - BBC Radio 5 Live

• Man City v Wolves, 17:30 - BBC Radio 5 Live

Follow all of the action and reaction here