Premier League updates from the 12.30pm BST kick-offLiverpool hopeful of avoiding Carabao Cup expulsionEmail Scott with your thought’s on the match 11.55am BST Fair’s fair, the kitman’s tidied up. And got the bevvies in too. 11.50am BST Chaotic scenes in the Liverpool dressing room. These pre-match glimpses into the inner sanctum usually showcase clubs at their professional best, crisp kits freshly laundered, neatly folded or hung, always presented to the highest standard. Is someone recovering from a big night out? Hey, we all have off days. Anyway, from this disorder we can deduce that Liverpool will be playing in third-choice black, hosts Sheffield United the redmen today. 11.34am BST If It Ain’t Broke dept. It’s an unchanged side for Sheffield United, Chris Wilder naming the same XI that did for Everton last weekend. And it’s an unchanged side for Liverpool, too. It’s the same XI sent out at Stamford Bridge last Sunday. We’ve ignored the midweek League Cup line-ups, but y’know. 11.33am BST Sheffield United: Henderson, Basham, Egan, O’Connell, Baldock, Lundstram, Norwood, Fleck, Stevens, McBurnie, Robinson.Subs: Luke Freeman, Jagielka, Mousset, Osborn, Clarke, Moore, Besic.Liverpool: Adrian, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Mane.Subs: Lovren, Milner, Gomez, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lallana, Origi, Kelleher. 1.55pm BST Sheffield United’s best work so far this season has been on the road. A commendable opening-day draw at Bournemouth; a magnificent two-goal comeback at Chelsea to salvage a draw; a win at Everton achieved easily, despite (according to their manager) not even playing that well. By contrast, the Blades have lost their last two league matches at Bramall Lane. This afternoon presents a fine chance to snap that run.Against the 100 percent league leaders and reigning champions of Europe? OK, if you put it like that, it’s going to be a heck of a test for Chris Wilder’s newly promoted side. But history has to count for something, and Liverpool haven’t won at Bramall Lane since the opening day of the 1990-91 season, when second-half goals from John Barnes, Ray Houghton and Ian Rush secured a 3-1 victory. (For the completist: Brian Deane scored for Dave Bassett’s side.) It’s a six-game undefeated run for United, who have a 50 percent win rate over the stretch. Continue readingreadfullarticle
