Sheffield United take on the visitors Everton in the round 4 match of English Premier League. The match will be played on Saturday, September 2nd at Bramall Lane (Sheffield)
Sheffield United's return to the Premier League have been far from the bright start fans had hoped for. In the first three rounds, the Blades suffered three defeats. Admittedly, one of the opponents was Manchester City, and losing 1-2 to them, even at home, is not shameful. However, in matches against Crystal Palace (0-1) and Nottingham Forest (1-2), they could have aimed for draws. Unfortunately, Sheffield United's quality of football in the first three rounds was even worse than Everton's. They scored two goals, but their xG suggested they should have scored only 1.74. After three losses in the league, Paul Heckingbottom's team even managed to draw 0-0 and then lose on penalties at home to modest Lincoln City.
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It's an understatement to say that the Toffees had a dismal start to the season. Three losses in three matches are definitely not what fans of this team wanted to see. However, during the midweek EFL Cup fixture, Everton secured an important victory for themselves, one that was crucial for morale and confidence. Yes, the opponent was weak, but the result still matters. It's quite likely that the Toffees will now find their rhythm and secure a second consecutive victory. After all, their upcoming opponent is not particularly threatening and has one of the worst xG figures at the start of the Premier League. Even though Everton have yet to score a goal in the league, they have generated a high xG of five over three rounds. Sooner or later, their finishing should improve, and Sean Dyche's team is likely to have better luck.
Of course, the score on the scoreboard matters, and xG and other statistical indicators are just numbers. But when a team outperforms its opponent statistically, it may find success in the match against them. I believe that's the case here. I've already mentioned xG, and I'll add a few words about xPTS (expected points). If Sheffield United has gained almost one point in the first three rounds according to this metric (0.95), then Everton have accumulated nearly four points (3.97). In the battle between two strugglers at the beginning of this Premier League season, I have more faith in the visitors, who also have a stronger squad. In their last two head-to-head matches at Sheffield, Everton came out on top. Therefore, I think the best Sheffield United can hope for is a draw. The bet is a handicap (0) on Everton.
Prediction for the match: Everton to win with 0.0 handicap.
