Fulham v Sheffield Utd predictions: lack of firepower points to draw

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Fulham v Sheffield United in the Premier League on Saturday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & Premier League, 8pm Saturday

Best bet

Draw
1pt 11-5 general

Team news

Fulham
Aleksandar Mitrovic will miss the clash with the Blades after his positive coronavirus test while Tom Cairney is still struggling with a knee injury.

Sheff Utd
John Fleck is struggling with the illness that forced him to miss the West Ham defeat while John Egan was stretchered off in that game and looks set to join Jack Robinson, Sander Berge and Jack O'Connell on the sidelines.

Match preview

There is huge pressure on both teams in Saturday's clash at Craven Cottage as the losers will find it tough to retain hope of survival, although the visitors may have already resigned themselves to their fate even if they were to pick up the win.

Fulham have made themselves tougher to beat as they look to secure their survival this term, edging to within six points of safety having lost just one of their last six games.

The problem is that they are failing to turn their good, or at least better, performances into victories as they have secured just one win in their last 14 matches, while they have drawn nine in that same run.

Scott Parker's side will also face a recently improved Sheffield United side this Saturday, albeit one who have just lost 3-0 at West Ham United. But the Blades' three Premier League victories have all come within their last seven games.

A lack of goals remains the problem for both sides. Chris Wilder's men are still the lowest scorers in the division with just 15, while Fulham's tally of 20 is the fourth-worst.

What is not a good sign for this fixture is that the Cottagers have scored a mere seven of their tally at Craven Cottage, while the Blades have mustered just six on their travels.

Although Fulham have a realistic chance of survival and are eight points clear of the Blades, both sides have won just three times this season, with the Cottagers' ten draws proving the difference.

Wilder's side have managed only two, having been beaten 19 times, but they are more than capable of picking up another point this weekend.

Nobody is realistically giving the Blades a chance of staying up - they are 14 points adrift of Newcastle United in 17th - but that means all the pressure is on the hosts, while the visitors' cup run as well as positive performances against the Manchester clubs will give them a degree of confidence.

The West Ham setback serves as a stark reminder of their position in the table though, and injuries have not been their friend, but Fulham are hardly the side to capitalise on such things.

A repeat of the draw in the reverse fixture at Bramall Lane in October is very much on the cards, in a game that seems unlikely to provide many goals.

Key stat

Fulham have drawn nine of their last 14 Premier League games.

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