Sheffield United Next

By Longsider
November 7 2003

So we're off to one of our less than favourable grounds tomorrow with a trip across the border to Sheffield. Brammall Lane is a ground where we haven't won at for over 30 years now.

The Clarets haven't won here in the last 12 encounters and our most recent visits have resulted in heavy defeats. The Blades ended in our play-off hopes in our first season back in the Division with a 2-0 defeat in our final away game of that campaign. The season after Burnley got beat 3-0, with a side that included Paul Gascoigne, with the result having a damaging effect on our play off hopes. Last season's 4-2 hammering came just 3 days after the Cup defeat at Watford and again ended any faint hopes we had of the play offs.

This is the first time in years though we've played at Brammall Lane before Christmas so for once they won't be ending any hopes no matter what goes on tomorrow although a defeat could see us go closer towards the relegation area of the Division.

Unfortunately Burnley have been hit by another injury crisis with a bug hitting the camp during the week. We know that both Glen Little and Mark McGregor had to miss training because of it and this comes on top of the injury that Little picked up last week against Cardiff. It is more than likely that he will be replaced by Chadwick on the right hand side who has made good progress from his own recent injury problems.

There is some good news however with the return of David May who is back training with the side following his recent hamstring trouble. It is unlikely though that he will feature tomorrow as Ternent won't want to rush back into the side too quickly as he may aggravate the hamstring.

The Blades have had no such worries and in the last week they have strengthened their side with 2 signings(Alan Wright and Dries Boussatta) although only Wright is expected to be in the starting line up tomorrow. Michael Brown is also in contention tomorrow after missing the last 2 games with a foot injury.

We expect:

Jenson, West, Gnohere, Branch, Camara, Chadwick, Chaplow, Grant, Farelly, I.Moore, Blake.
Subs: Little, Roche, Facey, O'Neill, Pilkington.

Gerrard, Kozluk, Wright, Jagielka, Morgan, Armstrong, Tonge, McCall, Ndlovu, Lester, Ward.
Subs: Brown, Allison, Boussatta, Parkinson, Montgomery

The referee for tomorrows game is George Cain from Merseyside.