Get ready for some frantic football this Sunday when basement boys Sheffield United host Fulham at Bramall Lane. Both these teams are still looking for win number one this season!

Desperation will be high on Sunday when struggling sides Sheffield United and Fulham face off at Bramall Lane. Both clubs are still searching for their first victory this Premier League season.

For the Blades, the start of the new campaign has been utterly disastrous. After promotion from the Championship, Sheffield sat rock bottom of the table with a single point from seven matches.

The Blades have started awful, with the leakiest defense in the league. They got smashed for 8 goals last weekend.

Fulham hasn't been much better, looking wobbly at the back too. They just got bullied by Chelsea in a tough London derby. When facing quality opposition, Fulham have struggled mightily.

Their defense lacks organization and communication. Basic errors have often led directly to cheap opposition goals. Fulham's midfield also hasn't provided protection. In attack, Fulham have shown next to no cutting edge.

So when these two underachieving teams meet on Sunday, both will be scratching and clawing for that precious first victory. With confidence low and pressure building, it could be a frantic, tense affair. Neither side can afford to drop more points.

They'll both be desperate for that first taste of victory.

Sheffield United vs Fulham

The match will take place on Sunday, 7th October, 2023, at Craven Cottage

Toothless Blades Crash Again

With the worst defense in the league, Sheffield has crumbled every time they've faced a top attacking team this season. This match was no different.

Facing West Ham's slick passing and movement, the Blades looked anxious and overwhelmed from the opening minutes. They never found any comfort.

Sloppy Mistakes Prove Costly

Schoolboy errors put Sheffield under huge pressure. They gave up the first goal after cheaply surrendering the ball deep in their own end.

The second goal also came from a defensive blunder. Sheffield keeps shooting themselves in the foot with silly mistakes.

Toothless In Attack

While their defense leaks goals, Sheffield likewise has almost no attacking threat. They only forced one save in the entire first half.

Players like Oli McBurnie failed to capitalize on Sheffield's few chances. A total lack of cutting-edge up front.

West Ham Dominance In the First Half

Leading 2-0 at halftime, West Ham was utterly dominant in the first 45 minutes. They swarmed the attack and controlled the ball.

Other than a brief threat from Cameron Archer, Sheffield never got any foothold in the game. West Ham had them on the ropes.

No Coming Back for Sheffield

Up two goals, West Ham smartly took their foot off the gas in the second half. They focused on protecting their lead.

The Hammers were composed seeing out the game. Sheffield improved but never really threatened a comeback. Professional game management from West Ham.

Changes Fail To Inspire

Manager Heckingbottom tried to change things up at halftime, but Sheffield remained lifeless in attack after the break.

Despite more possession, Sheffield didn't carve out any clear scoring opportunities. The Blades look lost in the final third.

No Fight From The Blades

After last week's 8-0 thrashing, Sheffield really needed a response to show some fight and character here. It never arrived.

The players looked resigned to defeat despite the low scoreline for much of the match. A hopeless, gutless performance overall.

Increasingly Grim Relegation Prospects

With just one point from seven matches, Sheffield's hopes of staying up are already looking close to dead and buried.

The Blades have been outclassed in every aspect this season. It's shaping up to be a grim year fighting against the drop.

Disjointed Fulham Disappoints Against Rivals

Fulham came out jittery and uneasy in the high-stakes London Derby against their neighbors Chelsea. They conceded too much space early.

Caught on their heels, Fulham never found any kind of rhythm or comfort on the ball in the first half. A nervy, sloppy start hampered them.

Defensive Lapses Prove Costly

Poor defending led directly to both first-half goals for Chelsea. For the first, the backline was disorganized and let Mudryk breeze through.

On the second goal, Tim Reams' sloppy touch gift-wrapped the ball for Chelsea. Basic errors put Fulham in an early hole.

Toothless In Attack

All game long, Fulham struggled mightily to create any dangerous chances. Their passing was too predictable and lacked incision.

Center forward Aleksandar Mitrovic got no service and faded out of the game as a result. A largely toothless performance in attack from Fulham.

Chelsea Midfield Too Good

Chelsea's midfield trio of Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, and Conor Gallagher bossed the possession battle all night. They moved the ball sharply and crisply to open up spaces.

Fernandez and Caicedo in particular were excellent at controlling the tempo and switching the point of attack. Chelsea owned the midfield.

Clinical Finishing The Difference

Chelsea was more clinical than Fulham in the final third. The Blues made the most of their few clear chances in the first half to go up 2-0.

Meanwhile, Fulham wasted several half chances and openings. Chelsea's cutthroat finishing proved the difference in this one.

Changes Make Little Difference

Fulham manager Silva tried changing things up, bringing on Carlos Vinicius and Sasa Lukic. However the substitutes had minimal impact.

Fulham still lacked inventiveness and chemistry up front. The tactical tweaks failed to get Fulham's offense clicking.

Harsh Reality Check In Derby

After exceeding expectations so far this season, this loss served as a reality check for Fulham against high-flying opposition.

The match showed Fulham still has a massive gulf to close with the EPL elite. A humbling but important lesson for the Cottagers.

Predicted Lineups

Sheffield United Predicted lineup: W. Foderingham, A. Ahmedhodzic, John Egan QUES, J. Robinson, Luke Thomas, G. Hamer, Vinicius, James McAtee, Jayden Bogle, C. Archer, O. McBurnie.

Fulham Predicted lineup: Bernd Leno, A. Robinson, Tim Ream, Issa Diop, T. Castagne, J. Palhinha, A. Pereira, H. Reed, Willian, B. Decordova-Reid, Raul Jimenez.

Key Battles

In midfield, Sheffield's John Fleck will try to hassle Fulham's Joao Palhinha. Fleck will need his running shoes against giant Palhinha!

Up front, the Blades' Rhian Brewster faces Fulham's Willian. Both forwards have struggled this season - who will grab the precious first goal?

Conclusion

Strap on your shin guards for this frantic relegation skirmish. Either Sheffield or Fulham will finally get off the mark with some scrambling soccer on Sunday! Let the scramble begin!