Man City vs Sheffield United preview, team news, stats, kick-off time, live on Sky Sports

Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne remain absent for Man City while Sheff Utd have John Egan available; follow Man City vs Sheffield United on Sky Sports Main Event from 2.30pm on Saturday; kick-off 3pm

Friday 29 January 2021 20:03, UK

Team news and stats ahead of Man City vs Sheffield United in the Premier League on Saturday; kick-off 3pm.

Team news

Manchester City are without record goalscorer Sergio Aguero and playmaker Kevin De Bruyne as they host Sheffield United in the Premier League.

Aguero remains in self-isolation after contracting coronavirus, while De Bruyne is likely to be out for at least another month with a hamstring injury.

Defender Nathan Ake, who has not been involved since Boxing Day, is also still out.

John Egan is available for Sheffield United as they look to build on their shock win against Manchester United in midweek.

The defender missed the victory at Old Trafford as he served a one-match ban so manager Chris Wilder must decide whether he is restored to the team or if Phil Jagielka, who was outstanding on Wednesday night, keeps his place.

Oli McBurnie (shoulder), Enda Stevens and Ben Osborn have all been absent recently, with Wilder unable to field a full complement of substitutes, and they will be assessed once more.

How to follow

Man City vs Sheffield United will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event from 2.30pm on Saturday; kick-off at 3pm. Sky Sports customers can watch in-game clips in the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app. Free highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.

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Jones Knows' prediction

The last top-flight English team to win 12 games in a row across all competitions was…..?

Fair play if you've got it: it was Arsenal in 2007. Well, Manchester City can join them with victory here.

In total, City are now unbeaten in 18 games in all competitions, their last defeat was the 2-0 reverse at Tottenham in November.

During that time someone will have been surely chipping away nicely backing City to win to nil every week? They would have copped a return on a price around evens in eight of those 11 victories as the unity shown by City at the back is quickly becoming one of the meanest in Premier League history. You'd be a brave punter to back Sheffield United being able to break them down. They are the lowest scorers in the Premier League (12).

Surely the City to win to nil cops again, doesn't it?

JONES KNOWS PREDICTS: 2-0 (6/1 with Sky Bet)

Opta stats

Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 11 home games against Sheffield United in all competitions (W6 D5), since a 3-2 league defeat at Maine Road in October 1987, with Chris Wilder playing the full 90 minutes for the Blades.
Sheffield United haven't won a Premier League match against Manchester City in nine attempts (D3 L6), scoring just one goal across those games, a Brian Deane goal in a 1-1 draw in April 1993.
Man City have kept a clean sheet in each of their last eight each home league matches against Sheffield United - in English league football, the last team to keep nine home clean sheets in a row against an opponent was Liverpool vs Stoke between 1983 and 2014.
Only West Bromwich Albion vs Liverpool (0) have scored fewer goals in their first nine Premier League meetings against an opponent than Sheffield United vs Man City (1). No team has ever scored just one goal in their first 10 games against an opponent in the competition.
Man City are unbeaten in their last 32 home Premier League matches against sides starting the day in the relegation zone (W28 D4), since losing 2-1 against Spurs in November 2008, who started the day bottom of the table.

Manchester City have won their last 11 games in all competitions, conceding just three goals in that run. They've never won 12 in a row in their history, while the last top-flight team to do so was Arsenal between August-October 2007.
Following their 2-1 victory at Old Trafford in the week, Sheffield United are aiming to win away at both Manchester clubs in the same top-flight season for the first time since 1973-74. The last side to do so in the top-flight was Liverpool in 2008-09, while the last side to do so in consecutive games was Liverpool in April 1982.
After a run of 20 Premier League games without a win, Sheffield United have now won two of their last three in the competition (L1). They've scored four goals in their last three league games, as many as they had in their previous nine.
Man City's Ilkay Gündogan is enjoying his best ever goalscoring season in his top-flight league career, netting seven Premier League goals so far this term. He could become the first German player to score in four consecutive Premier League appearances.
10 of Riyad Mahrez's last 12 Premier League goal involvements have been in 5-0 victories (8 goals, 2 assists), with the exception being a goal and assist in Man City's 2-5 defeat against Leicester earlier this season.

Pitch to Post Preview - Arsenal vs Man Utd build-up, plus: Man City's title charge, Liverpool's return to form, and problems for Tottenham

In this week's Pitch to Post Preview Podcast Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp joins Peter Smith to look ahead to the big Saturday night clash between Arsenal and Manchester United, and gives his verdict on Emile Smith Rowe, Martin Odegaard - and why Man Utd slipped up against Sheffield United.

We also get the inside story on Man City's title pursuit from Sky Sports News reporter Ben Ransom, who explains how one City star has been transformed by Pep Guardiola's methods this season.

And Sky Sports feature writer Adam Bate reflects on Liverpool's much-needed win at Tottenham - and the injuries sustained which could impact both sides. Plus he makes his Pitch for what will happen in the next round of Premier League games…

Listen to the Sky Sports Pitch to Post Podcast on: Spotify | Apple | Castbox

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