Chelsea seem to have sorted out their defensive issues in the last couple of weeks following successive record of clean sheets they have kept in all competitions thus far.
The Blues will host Sheffield United at Stamford bridge today, as they aim to extend an unbeaten run having come off the back of a 3 – 0 Champions League victory of Rennes.
Frank Lampard’s men have now recorded five clean sheets on the bounce for the first time in more than a decade and hopes are on the rise to see if it continues today.
However, Sheffield United are one of only four clubs who can boast of a winning Premier League record against Chelsea, coming out on top four times and losing three to join Oldham Athletic, Liverpool and Arsenal in that exclusive club.
The most recent occurred when the blades ran out comfortable 3 – 0 winners in July, against their host.
Indeed, that victory remains Sheffield United’s last in any competition – a winless run of 11 matches which constitutes the worst spell Chris Wilder’s managerial career.
In the Premier League alone they have gone 10 games without a win – taking only one point from a possible 30 in that time – which is their longest winless league run since March 2011.
Sheffield United’s form is perhaps not as bad as the results suggest – they have run Leeds United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City close in recent weeks – but Wilder will know getting points on the board is far more important that being valiant in defeat.
A home draw with Fulham has provided their only point of the campaign so far, making for their joint-worst ever start to a league campaign alongside 1975-76, when they went on to finish bottom of the top flight.
Not since 1990-91 have the Blades failed to win any of their first eight games of a season, but the difficult matches keep coming and there may not be too much optimism among supporters that they can avoid that fate at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea will be without Kai Havertz after he tested positive for coronavirus ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League not take any risks over a player who has only just returned win over Rennes.
Frank lampard will not be tempted to feature Christian Pulisic today as the American is still not 100% fit after he sustained a hamstring injury in the warm up to Burnley’s game last weekend.
