Crystal Palace vs Sheffield United Odds
| Crystal Palace Odds | -167 |
| Sheffield United Odds | +550 |
| Draw | +260 |
| Over / Under | 2.5 +110 / -143 |
Crystal Palace may be playing for manager Roy Hodgson's job when they host last-place Sheffield United on Tuesday.
Palace have won only one of their last 12 matches in all competitions and most recently was thumped 5-0 by London neighbors Arsenal back on Jan. 20. Those extended struggles have taken the Eagles into a potential relegation scrap again, sitting five points above the drop zone entering the midweek match day.
United's hopes of survival beyond this season seem to be fading with each passing week. But since Chris Wilder re-assumed the managerial reigns from Paul Heckingbottom, they've been a lot tougher to beat. Brighton's 5-2 win over the Blades in the FA Cup fourth round was at least a little deceiving, and before that came a dramatic 2-2 home draw against West Ham.
Palace were idle on the weekend after having lost to Everton in an FA Cup Third Round replay. The Eagles won their first meeting with the Blades 1-0 at Bramall Lane on the season's opening weekend.
Here is my Crystal Palace vs Sheffield United prediction.
Crystal Palace
Palace's dour performance against Arsenal may boost the narrative that the game has passed the septuagenarian Hodgson by, but the truth is Palace hasn't been as poor qualitatively as their results have suggested.
In the nine league games before their demolition at the hands of Mikel Arteta's men, the Eagles had played to a respectable -0.7 expected goals (xG) difference, yet only earned six points for their troubles.
Maybe even more puzzlingly, two of their best performances — both in terms of metrics and actual results — came against the current top two in the league in a 2-1 home loss to Liverpool and a stunning 2-2, come-from-behind draw at Manchester City.
At the same time, that Palace have been unable to parlay strong showings against the league's elite into more points against teams in lower positions in the table perhaps suggests a team that is only comfortable playing on the counter. All three of their league wins have come while holding 43% of the possession or less.
Club goal-scoring leader Odsonne Edouard (calf) could make his first league appearance since Dec. 9 after he started in FA Cup action against Everton two matches ago. Jordan Ayew could return to action after Ghana's elimination from the African Cup of Nations as well.
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Sheffield United
If nothing else, since Wilder has assumed the reins at Sheffield United, the Blades don't capitulate as easily.
In their last league game, they twice came from a goal down to earn a 2-2 draw with a West Ham side that is challenging for the European places.
Ben Brereton Diaz scored his first Premier League goal after his arrival on loan from Villareal. Then Oliver McBurnie converted an equalizer from the spot in the 13th minute of second-half stoppage time after the Hammers had taken the lead again in the 79th minute in a similar fashion.
Last weekend, they were a more difficult opponent than the score of their loss to Brighton suggested, with two penalties awarded to the visitors constituting the difference in the match until Danny Welbeck added the final goal seven minutes into second-half stoppage time.
Tuesday may be our first true sign as to whether these signs of attacking life translate to the road, where the Blades have scored only five goals. That's four fewer than the next-lowest total in the Premier League.
But Wilder's first two away results in the league were a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa and a 2-0 loss at Manchester City, both games in which very little would have been expected of his club.
Crystal Palace vs Sheffield United
Prediction
The Blades have taken a league-worst two points away from home, and have yet to score more than once in an away match. Yet there's reason to like them here because we haven't seen them yet in a fair fight on the road with Wilder at the helm.
And as much as any team in the Premiership, Palace have shown an inability to earn results when the onus is on them to be the aggressor.
So while it goes against the form sheet, I like backing the Blades to take a point or more here, tying it to a total under 3.5 here at +178 odds and an implied 36% probability. In the unlikely event this game does become a track meet, it would favor the hosts.
Pick: Sheffield United or draw and under 3.5 goals, same-game parlay (+178 via ESPNBet)
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