"Will be desperate to finish the season on a high" - Chris Sutton makes prediction for Sheffield United vs Tottenham
Pundit and former Blackburn Rovers forward Chris Sutton has predicted a win for Tottenham Hotspur when they take on Sheffield United at Bramall Lane this weekend. The two teams will clash in their respective final games of the campaign on Sunday, May 19.
Sheffield have endured a horrid return to the top-flight and are bottom of the table with a meager 16 points from 37 matches. The Blades never really looked like they would survive throughout the campaign, having shipped in 101 goals.
Spurs, meanwhile, have seen their form fall of a cliff in recent weeks. They currently sit fifth with 63 points from 37 matches, but could drop by two spots if they lose on Sunday and both Chelsea and Newcastle United win.
Sutton, however, doesn't see that happening and predicted a 2-0 win for the visitors in his column for the BBC. He did express concern over comments from Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou regarding the issues with the "foundations" of the club on the back of his side's 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in midweek.
"We have seen an angry Ange Postecoglou this week, and I totally get why. I really liked what he said before the Manchester City game about how he wants the club to win something, rather than just have bragging rights. If I'm a Spurs fan, that's what I want to hear. He was bang on. He is trying to build a winning culture at Tottenham and clearly the mentality at the club does not align with his," Sutton wrote.
"On the flip side, I do also understand the pettiness of the Tottenham fans who do not want Arsenal to win the title. But it sounds like Postecoglou's anger is not just at some of the Spurs supporters who wanted their side to lose to City on Tuesday, but at some people inside the club too."
The 1994-95 Premier League winner with Blackburn also referenced Tottenham's recent form, which has seen them lose five of their last six and six of their last 10 matches.
"I am sure Postecoglou would accept it has been a disappointing end to the campaign, with five defeats in the past six games, even if they have had some difficult fixtures in that run, but all of this underlines that there are other issues at the club. I don't know what happens next - they either believe in him, or they don't.
"He will be desperate to finish the season on a high, as will Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder, whose side are already relegated, are bottom of the table with only three wins all season, and on a six-game losing streak. Even if the Blades do respond, I am still backing Spurs."
Sheffield themselves enter this match on a poor run of form, having lost 10 of their last 13 matches (three draws). In fact, they haven't won a game since beating Lutown Town 3-1 all the way back in February.
Tottenham Hotspur left it late to defeat Sheffield United earlier this season
Both teams have already clashed once in the Premier League this season, meeting at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium back in September last year.
In that match, Sheffield United kept the hosts at bay for most of the contest. They then took a 1-0 lead in the 73rd minute through Gustavo Hamer, shocking Spurs, who were on a three-game winning streak. However, Richarlison, who only came on in the 80th minute, netted the equalizer in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
The Brazilian then set up Dejan Kulusevski for the winner two minutes later to secure all three points for Tottenham. To make matters worse for Sheffield, Oli McBurnie received a second yellow card in the 14th minute of stoppage time and they finished the game with 10 men.