Burnley vs Sheff Utd Prediction: Clarets to pick up first points at Turf Moor

Manchester City against Tottenham Hotspur will take the headlines this weekend, but is there a more important game in the Premier League than the one at Turf Moor on Saturday afternoon (15:00), when Burnley and Sheffield United face-off?

The newly-promoted clubs are either side of Everton in the relegation zone, but it's really a meeting of the two worst teams in the division given Everton would be nine points clear of 18th-placed Sheffield United if they hadn't been deducted 10 points for financial irregularities.

Both have won just once in the league this season, and if one of them loses on Saturday, it wouldn't be a surprise to see a Premier League owner pull the managerial trigger for the first time this season.

Team News

Burnley have no new injury issues but Vincent Kompany must decide whether to keep faith with players that are continually failing to get results for him. Anass Zaroury, Aaron Ramsey and Nathan Redmond are all options if the Belgian does decide to switch things up.

Sheffield United's injury list shows no signs of abating, with Rhian Brewster, John Egan, Chris Basham and Daniel Jebbison all still out. Oli McBurnie could start after making a goalscoring return to action off the bench in last weekend's 3-1 defeat to Bournemouth.

Match Odds

Burnley have lost seven in a row but are 4/5 favourites to take all three points on Saturday, with the draw priced at 5/2. Sheffield United are 7/2 to win their first away game this season.

Both teams to score has won in seven Burnley games this season, and it's 4/5 for an eighth this weekend.

Burnley and over 2.5 goals @ 15/8

Seven defeats on the bounce - six of them in the Premier League - doesn't exactly make for inspiring reading for Burnley. Tipped by many as dark horses at the start of the season, the Clarets have had an awful time of it back in the big time, and patience is surely wearing thin with Kompany.

However, I think this game can act as a turning point for them. Their only win so far came away to Luton - the third side promoted from the Championship last season - while their other point was collected at Nottingham Forest, who are also down the bottom end of the table.

It hasn't gelled so far for Burnley, but their squad is still much superior to Sheffield United's, and it's just about finding that winning formula for Kompany and co. I think they will find it this weekend against a spirited, but ultimately limited, Blades side.

Paul Heckingbottom's team should make a decent fist of it in Lancashire off the back of scoring in five of their last six games, the last three of which have seen them pick up four points, but I just feel something has to turn for Burnley sooner or later.

Five of Burnley's seven home games have seen over 2.5 goals, and Sheffield United have seen at least three goals in four of their six away matches. Both teams need to go for it here so I do see goals, but ultimately Kompany's side coming out on top.

#PickYourPunt - BTTS, Oliver Norwood carded and Gustavo Hamer 1+ shots @ 5/1

I've already touched on Sheffield United's ability to find a goal in five of their last six, but they're still yet to keep a clean sheet this season, so both teams to score looks a solid bet here.

The second leg of this #PickYourPunt involves Blades midfield general Oliver Norwood, who has played all but one of their league games. Across those 12 appearances the 32-year-old has picked up four yellow cards, including three in his last six.  Norwood has a history of collecting yellows, with seven, 10, six, eight and 11 his league totals so far for Sheffield United. I see this being a feisty encounter at Turf Moor with both sides well aware of the importance of it, and that should see plenty of tackles flying in, Norwood among them.

Sticking with the South Yorkshire outfit I'm going for summer signing Gustavo Hamer to have a shot. The 26-year-old is, remarkably, his club's joint-top scorer with two alongside forwards McBurnie and Cameron Archer, and he has had 16 shots in 12 league appearances so far, only failing to fire one off on one occasion. Sheffield United need to be scoring at least one on Saturday, and Hamer, who scored 11 times for Coventry in the Championship in 2022/23, is sure to be among those trying his luck.

Check out the rest of our Football Betting Tips on our Football homepage.