Opposition report: Bournemouth (H)

Is this the biggest game since WBA at home?

Sam Parry

The last time the stakes were this high, promotion was on the line. It was 26 April 2023 — 213 days ago — and the Blades sealed a return to the Premier League with a slick 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion. Following the victory, a floodlit Bramall Lane swirled in the noise, the lasers and the nighttime. Ndiaye was dancing. The players lapped the pitch. All was well.

What has changed?

For starters, fans have had to trade expectations for hope. That’s part and parcel of playing at the highest level. But the starkest contrast is the difference in our XI, and our XI now. For reasons of injury or transfer there’s no Egan, no Lowe, no Doyle, no Berge, no Ndiaye, possibly no McBurnie and possibly no Ahmedhodic. That’s seven — seven! — First-team players who won’t line up against Bournemouth tomorrow.

Starting XI vs WBA (26 April, BBC)

It’s hard to quantify the ill effects of missing 6/7 first-team players. Although perhaps it’s easier to quantify the net benefit of maintaining a settled XI on transition from Championship to Premier League. When Chris Wilder’s team “forgot the maths” against Ipswich in 18/19, they secured promotion to the top flight in a season that began with a fixture against Bournemouth. The difference between the XIs? …just two players: Hogan and Duffy out; Lundstram and Robinson (the Callum variety) in.