OPINION
On paper, West Ham United welcoming Sheffield United to the London Stadium would come across as an easy three points.
The Hammers have broken their transfer record three times in the past couple of years, and continue to add marquee names to their squad as they move forward.
A clash against the Blades is nowhere near straight forward though, and Arsenal found that out the hard way at Brammall Lane on Monday evening, losing 1-0 on a frustrating evening.
Chris Wilder has transformed Sheffield United since taking over, and his system is enough to cause any Premier League side trouble in any game.
Their five-at-the-back formation allows their central defenders and wing-backs to constantly push forward and cause opposing sides problems with their overlapping runs in games.
A fast-paced style can often burn out teams, and Wilder has recently admitted that it could be having an effect on his side after their battling performance against the Gunners.
“We came through a tough evening and covered a lot of distance,” Wilder told The Star.
“We have tired bodies and minds but the players have had a couple of days of rest, we’re back in today and we’ll get set for the weekend.”
West Ham will certainly have a better week of preparations behind them for the game on Saturday, having two days longer than their opponents to rest up.
The Hammers will be more than determined to bounce back and make a statement in East London, and they definitely need to after back-to-back defeats against Crystal Palace and Everton either side of the international break.
With Wilder admitting that his side has had two days of rest, they will only have Thursday and Friday to prepare as well as travel down to the capital before Saturday’s game, music to the ears of Manuel Pellegrini.
West Ham will surely be looking to take advantage of Sheffield United on Saturday, especially after the comments from Wilder on his tired squad going into the clash.
