Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Newcastle vs Sheffield United in the Premier League on Sunday (kick-off 2pm).

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Team news

Newcastle head coach Steve Bruce is likely to be without midfielders Sean and Matty Longstaff for Sunday's Premier League clash with Sheffield United.

Sean is nursing a knock, while younger brother Matty, who is currently in contract talks amid interest from Udinese, has a thigh problem and neither is expected to be fit.

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Striker Dwight Gayle is out with a knee injury and midfielder Matt Ritchie is a doubt with a knock, but goalkeeper Martin Dubravka is available after recovering from a knee problem which looked to have ended his season, while Danny Rose, Valentino Lazaro and Nabil Bentaleb have had their loan deals extended.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder is hopeful that Jack O'Connell and John Fleck will be fit for the trip to St James' Park.

Central defender O'Connell missed Wednesday night's 0-0 draw at Aston Villa along with midfielder Fleck after both picked up training-ground knocks, but Wilder is keeping his fingers crossed ahead of the fixture on Tyneside.

"We'll give them as much time as possible," Wilder said. "It's a quick turnaround of games. It was a big blow for us. They were contact injuries, which is a reaction to their attitude and how they play, which has always been important to us."

Striker David McGoldrick, who landed awkwardly after coming on as a substitute at Villa Park, also has a chance of making the squad.

Wilder has confirmed that on-loan midfielder Mo Besic has returned to Everton.

How to follow

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Follow the match on Sky Sports Premier League without crowd noise and Sky Sports Main Event with crowd noise, as well as Sky Pick, from 1pm; kick-off at 2pm. Also keep up-to-date in our dedicated live blog with in-game clips, with highlights published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after full-time.

Opta stats

• Newcastle United have won their last four league games against Sheffield United, with their last defeat against the Blades coming in their last Premier League meeting at St James' Park in November 2006 (0-1).
• This is Sheffield United's first away league visit to Newcastle since a Championship match in April 2010, losing 2-1.
• In all competitions, Newcastle have won five of their last six home games against Sheffield United, losing the other in November 2006 in the Premier League. The Magpies have netted 14 goals across those five victories.
• This will be just Newcastle's second league match played in the month of June, with their other ending in a 2-4 defeat to Newport County in the second tier back in 1947.
• Newcastle are the joint-lowest home scorers in the Premier League this season (12), and are yet to score more than twice in any of their 14 league games at St James' Park this season.
• Newcastle are looking to pick up back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time since December, with one

Charlie's prediction

Sheffield United should have got the three points at Villa. Whatever happened with the technology, it was a shambles. Thank goodness it happened though, as it was the only talking point from the game. I went for Villa to win but I expected Sheffield United to graft, and they did just that. Oli McBurnie grafted and Billy Sharp worked his socks off, as did the whole of Chris Wilder's side. Jack O'Connell was missing at the back and John Fleck was absent - you could tell that it was not quite the same.

Steve Bruce will be trying to prove a point, and Newcastle will be sold, but whoever buys the club, Bruce needs a chance and he will be wanting to show that he can match it. Newcastle are sitting in 13th, and they should be all but over the line, but they can be awkward.

Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin are the ones to look out for. They are talented players, but not the greatest in front of goal. Joelinton is anything but confident at the minute, but they are a handful. You break up Sheffield United by two or three players and suddenly the system gets disrupted. I will go for a Newcastle win here.

CHARLIE PREDICTS: 2-1 (12/1 with Sky Bet)

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