At A Glance
Friday Night Football sees Aston Villa take on Sheffield United in the Premier League at Villa Park.
The hosts could climb to the top of the table ahead of this weekend’s fixtures with a 16th consecutive home league win.
Villa have also compiled a nine-match unbeaten run in all competitions, including three straight victories in the top flight.
United are fighting at the opposite end of the table having picked up eight points from their 17 league fixtures.
Only one of those points has been accrued on their travels, with the Blades the only side in the division yet to win away from home.
Chris Wilder, who returned for a second spell as manager earlier this month, saw his side lose 2-0 at Chelsea last time out.
Standout Stats
Aston Villa are unbeaten in their past 14 home league games against Sheffield United since a 2-0 top-flight defeat in January 1966 (W8, D6).
Both of Sheffield United's victories in their 10 Premier League meetings with Villa came at home under Chris Wilder: 2-0 in December 2019 and 1-0 in March 2021.
The Blades have only managed one point and one goal - scored by Brian Deane in January 1993 - in their five Premier League visits to Villa Park.
A win on Friday would ensure Villa finish a day top of the Premier League table at least 18 games into a season for the first time since they led the way at Christmas 25 years ago.
Sheffield United have eight points after 17 games. No side has had fewer than 10 points at this stage of a Premier League season and gone on to avoid relegation.
Aston Villa are on a club-record run of 15 successive home league wins. Only Liverpool and the two Manchester clubs have ever had longer streaks in the Premier League.
The Blades have lost 27 of their last 32 Premier League away fixtures, winning two and drawing three.
Villa have won their opening eight top-flight home matches in a season for the first time since 1932-33, when their record was ended by a 6-3 defeat against Sheffield Wednesday.
United have only had 142 attempts on goal in the Premier League this season, the fewest of any side.
Unai Emery's side have set a club record of 25 top-flight victories in a calendar year, while their tally of 81 points in 2023 is second only to Manchester City's 87.
Villa are vying to win 13 of their opening 18 league fixtures of a season for the first time.
Sheffield’s tally of 43 goals conceded is the second most by a team after 17 games of a Premier League season. Barnsley had let in 45 at the same stage in 1997-98.
Villa are the only Premier League club not to have dropped a point from a winning position this season, triumphing in all 12 matches when ahead.
Chris Wilder was winless in all four away league matches versus Aston Villa during his first spell as Sheffield United manager (D3, L1).
Ollie Watkins has scored 49 Premier League goals, all for Aston Villa. He has 21 top-flight goals in 2023, the most by a Villa player in a calendar year since Andy Gray scored 23 in 1976.
The Last Meeting
Villa came away empty-handed from their last match against The Blades, losing 1-0 at Bramall Lane in March 2021.
David McGoldrick scored the only goal of the game after 30 minutes, tapping home George Baldock’s cross.
John McGinn, Bertrand Traoré and Ollie Watkins all went close before Ezri Konsa saw an effort saved in injury time.
Team News
Villa will be without Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans and Boubacar Kamara against Sheffield United, although Douglas Luiz and Lucas Digne return to contention.
Bertrand Traore, Tyrone Mings and Emi Buendia are also out.
Jack Robinson is back from a ban for the Blades, who have a lengthy injury list.
Chris Basham, Daniel Jebbison, Tom Davies, John Egan, Rhys Norrington-Davies and Rhian Brewster are all sidelined.
The Boss
“We are excited and we are very motivated about how we can face the match tomorrow against Sheffield. My concern for tomorrow with the players is that it’s going to be very difficult to win. When we were winning against, more or less, the best teams in the Premier League like Arsenal and Manchester City in the last two matches at home we are now facing the same difficulty against Sheffield as against Arsenal and City. We respect them a lot. We are going to try to play being very demanding because they are with a new coach and their situation of being in the bottom of the table. They are going to be very motivated."
Unai Emery
