Sheffield United

We asked for your views on Saturday's match between Newcastle United and Sheffield United.

Here are some of your answers:

Newcastle fans

Tom: Strange game. Sheffield United absolutely flying out of the blocks and going for it. Big Dan Burn kept us in the game in the first half. He looks much more comfortable at centre-back than when he is stuck on the left. There was a complete transition in the second half, with Newcastle bombing forward at every opportunity and looking like scoring. Was there an interesting half-time talk?

Simon: Very pleased to see us bounce back from a poor midweek performance. We dominated in the second half and it is positive that we are converting chances. I was really pleased, particularly, to see Bruno and Wilson on the scoresheet. We need to push forward and get as many points as possible in our final few games, but well done!

Tant: With all of the injuries sustained this season, this team has shown real resilience under a world-class man manager in Eddie Howe. To be where they are now shows that, to a man, they are fighting for the boss. It was a difficult game today, but they showed great patience and belief in their own game plan to get the three points.

Andrew: We started a bit like me when I had eaten too many lockdown chocolates... slowly and poorly! But we finished like me when I eat a bag of sugar followed by three bottles of energy drink... buzzing and excited! I think we will keep both Guimaraes and Isak this summer. Next year will be great, if this year was anything to go by!

Sheff Utd fans

Bob: Sheffield United were the best team in the first half and could have had three goals. However, Newcastle woke up in the second half and ran out easy winners as the Blades were blunted.

Eric: I am sick and tired of seeing that white flag this season! Just close season, have a big clear out of both the players and management. Fresh ideas and a new approach is needed.

Peter: Chris Wilder is clueless and he needs sacking. This club needs a complete rebuild. Wilder is not the man for the job.

James: A fitting end to an embarrassing season. Unless there is a big change in the club, starting at the top with the owner who has proved himself incapable of running a football club, then there will be a relegation scrap on our hands again next season!

Image source, Getty Images

Sheffield United are on course to break Swindon Town's record of the most goals conceded in a Premier League season, with the Blades shipping five goals or more in more than seven games this campaign.

Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright has been discussing their defensive struggles on Match of the Day: "With Swindon Town, it took them 42 games to concede 100 goals. If you look at Sheffield United right now, they have conceded 97 goals in 35 games.

"Look, they have had to get rid of some top players in Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge. It has been very hard for them to compete in the Premier League this season.

"Chris Wilder is talking about a lack of leadership, but I would probably say that it is a lack of quality as well.

"I think that the fans will probably be relieved [that they have been relegated] - at least they won't have to deal with VAR next season!"

Catch up on Match of the Day here

Newly relegated Sheffield United have now conceded 97 goals in 35 Premier League games this season, after being on the receiving end of a 5-1 thumping against Newcastle United at St James' Park.

Anel Ahmedhodzic was the only Blades player to get on the scoresheet, after giving the visitors a deserved early lead in the fifth minute, but former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer has been criticising the visitors' "dreadful" second-half performance.

"They actually did really well in the first half," Shearer told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily Sports Report. "They got their goal and perhaps should have scored another two or three more goals, because they hit the woodwork and created some really good chances.

"They had Newcastle on the ropes in that first half, but in the second half they were really dreadful. They were back to their normal self. It looked like every attack that Newcastle had, Sheffield United would concede.

"There is nothing unlucky about what they have done this season - they just haven't been good enough.

"You cannot go into games hoping that you are going to score three or four goals to try to get a point - but that is effectively what they were going to have to do this season.

"I mean, 97 goals tells its own story. They have been dreadful at the back in almost every game they have played in. They have been miles off it."

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Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up on the action on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch highlights of Sunday's games on Match of the Day 2 here

Listen back to Saturday's BBC Radio 5 Live match commentaries in full:

• Man Utd 1-1 Burnley

• Everton 1-0 Brentford

Blackburn Rovers want up to £20m for Republic of Ireland forward Sammie Szmodics, with Brentford, Luton Town and Sheffield United all interested in the 28-year-old. (Sun), external

Want more transfer news? Read Monday's full gossip column

Here are the key facts and figures following Saturday’s game between Newcastle United and Sheffield United in the Premier League.

• The Blades have now suffered their ninth top-flight relegation, which is as many as local rivals Sheffield Wednesday who have also been relegated nine times. Only five teams have suffered the drop from the top division of English football on more occasions: Birmingham City (12), Leicester City (12), West Bromwich (11), Bolton (10) and Manchester City (10).

• Newcastle have scored 13 Premier League goals against Sheffield United this season, which is the most one team has scored against another team in a single campaign in the competition's history.

• Alexander Isak has scored 19 Premier League goals this season, the most by any Newcastle player in a single top-flight campaign since Alan Shearer in 2003-04 (22 goals). He has also scored in each of his past seven Premier League games at St James’ Park, with only Andrew Cole (8 in 1993-94) and Alan Shearer (15 in 1996-97) netting in more consecutive home appearances for the Magpies in the competition.

• Sheffield United have conceded 97 goals in their 35 Premier League games this season, with only Swindon Town (100 goals in 42 games in 1993-94) conceding more in an entire campaign in the competition's history.

• Anthony Gordon has been directly involved in 16 Premier League goals at St James’ Park this season (9 goals, 7 assists), with only Cole Palmer registering more home goal involvements in the competition this term (17).

Matthew Howarth
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

The writing has been on the wall for quite some time for Sheffield United, who started brightly at St James' Park but fell to pieces after Bruno Guimaraes gave Newcastle the lead in the second half.

The Blades have been stuck in the bottom three since late September, when they were thrashed 8-0 by Eddie Howe's team at Bramall Lane in their record league defeat.

Only Swindon Town have conceded more goals in a single Premier League season than the Blades, who have now shipped 97 goals in 35 games.

The visitors enjoyed plenty of early possession and could have added to Anel Ahmedhodzic's early opener, with Cameron Archer, Ben Brereton Diaz and Mason Holgate all going close.

However, Newcastle never looked back after Guimaraes' header and could ultimately have won by a healthier margin.

Referee Tony Harrington awarded the visitors a late spot-kick after Jayden Bogle went down under pressure from Magpies substitute Alex Murphy, but Chris Wilder's team were denied a late consolation after VAR ruled the Newcastle defender had got his toe to the ball.

With Brereton Diaz, Holgate, James McAtee and Yasser Larouci due to return to their respective parent clubs on 30 June and Bogle, Oli McBurnie and goalkeeper Wes Foderingham all out of contract in the summer, Wilder has plenty to think about as the Blades turn their attentions to next season's Championship campaign.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has been speaking to Match of the Day after his side were relegated from the Premier League this afternoon: "We have not been good enough. The league has been too powerful for us right the way through the season.

"There have been plenty of games where we have been put to bed early, but today we should have been 3-0 up at half-time. I'm scratching my head that it was 1-1. Newcastle then up their game and get a head of steam, and then our old mistakes start to fall in [place] and the goals go from two to three to four to five pretty quickly.

"There is a reason why that happens. It is an incredibly young side and there is a complete lack of leadership out there.

"I thought, at times, I was going to have a heart attack in terms of trying to get the messages on [to the players on the pitch]."

On the Blades' relegation from the English top-flight: "It stings and it hurts. We have to own it. We have got so much work to do on the training ground. We have got to have a proper pre-season.

"Sheffield United is a really good football club. I think everyone understands that, but it has been a really poor season.

"I have still got another year left of my contract and I would like to think that the supporters can trust me. I'm enthusiastic and committed, along with my coaching staff, to get it right.

"We know exactly what direction we need to go in, what the culture is going to look like, and what our pre-season is going to look like.

"It is going to be a tough summer for everybody."

Sheffield United's relegation from the Premier League was confirmed as Newcastle recovered from a sluggish start to thrash Chris Wilder's side at St James' Park.

Anel Ahmedhodzic gave the visitors a deserved early lead, nodding home Gustavo Hamer's in-swinging cross from close range.

The Blades carved out several opportunities to double their advantage, as Newcastle struggled to gain a grip on proceedings, but the home side were level when Alexander Isak drilled home from Jacob Murphy's pass in the 26th minute.

Ben Brereton Diaz had a goal-bound shot blocked by Dan Burn and Mason Holgate headed against the woodwork on the half-hour mark, but the visitors fell behind early in the second half when Bruno Guimaraes steered Lewis Hall's delivery into the far corner.

Isak registered his 23rd goal of the season from the penalty spot, after Anthony Gordon was brought down by Holgate, before the unfortunate Ben Osborn bundled into his own net for Newcastle's fourth and Callum Wilson came off the bench to score his first top-flight goal since October.

Sheffield United were awarded a late penalty, but the decision was overturned by the video assistant referee who ruled Magpies substitute Alex Murphy had won the ball in a challenge on Jayden Bogle.

The defeat leaves the Blades 10 points adrift of safety with only three games remaining, while Newcastle stay seventh and are well placed to secure a spot in Europe next season.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from elsewhere?

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Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches again this season, against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's games, he takes on Andy Bell and Steve Queralt from Ride, who support Arsenal and Tottenham.

Sutton's predictions: 3-1

Sheffield United will be relegated if they lose this game but it is going to happen sooner or later even if they avoid defeat.

The Blades have lacked quality in all areas but they have known they are going down for a while now, and the important thing for them is how they regroup for next season.

Newcastle put eight goals past them at Bramall Lane in September and I am pretty sure they will cut through them pretty easily this time too. I am going to give Sheffield United a goal, but that is all they will get.

Steve's prediction: 3-0

A relatively routine home win. Sheffield United might put up a decent fight but Newcastle will be too strong for them. 3-0

Andy's prediction: 3-0

That's exactly what I have put too.

Read the rest of their predictions here

Seven matches make up Saturday's Premier League action and we will bring you every moment.

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BBC Radio 5 Live commentaries:

Manchester United v Burnley - Listen on BBC Sounds from 15:00

Everton v Brentford - Listen on BBC Sounds from 17:30

Chris Wilder has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game at Newcastle.

Here are the key lines from the Sheffield United boss:

• On injuries in the squad: "Oli McBurnie is out for the season, that's a massive blow for us. It's a really disappointing one. He went to see a specialist, he doesn't require surgery but it's a big one to miss certainly from a leadership and experience point of view. Jayden Bogle was taken off against Manchester United as a precaution, James McAtee went for a scan and we're waiting for results this morning so fingers crossed that he's OK. We believe Jayden will be OK and there is a question mark about McAtee."

• On young talent coming through the academy: "The way they've been brought up and nurtured through the set up in the academy is brilliant. From an attitude and a talent point of view, we're really in a good place and looking forward for them to develop. Maybe part of the next three or four games will see the introduction of those boys being involved. We have to be careful that we don't break them, that they don't have incredibly poor experiences so the timing of it has got to be good but them being around the first team will be good and looking forward to them being involved maybe in the last two or three games of the season."

• On Wes Foderingham being in goal: "He'll stay in the team, he was outstanding so I'm just after best practice. We made a change in December [signing Ivo Grbic], we felt that we needed that change. It hasn't worked out so far, we have to accept that. Ivo has and has to accept that. Myself and the coaching staff have to accept that so I'm not doing something from a personal point of view. Wes has trained really well. There was a situation that we needed to make a change last week and Wes has come in and done the business. I like to think that's what proper pros look like. They take the disappointment on the chin, they bide their time and when the opportunity comes they take it and they carry on."

• Wilder said there have been discussions over Foderingham's contract, which expires in the summer.

• On potentially being relegated this weekend: "Through good times we all enjoy it and then you have to own and suffer for the times where it goes wrong. There are certain things as a football club which we haven't done right. We've had a poor season and we have had to take the words, the criticism and we have to learn. We are sat here with a load of optimism about the future of the football club. We have been in far worse positions than this. We'll be ready if the inevitable happens at the weekend. We'll go right to the end, no matter what the situation is."

• Wilder says he feels performances have improved, adding: "We really believed we were in decent nick and we would get the opportunity to turn really good performance into big results. The Brentford and Burnley games really have sealed our fate but obviously the gap now is too big. We'll come fighting back. You get judged on results and certain weaknesses in certain departments have let us down. There are things that we need to reset to get better."

• On facing Newcastle: "It's one of my favourite clubs and one of my favourite teams to watch. I've got enormous admiration for Eddie [Howe] and his career and how he has gone about it . They've had their ups and downs but they're still in the position that they are. They've got some fabulous players, it's an incredible environment, another one that we can really look forward to going and hopefully leaving everything out there like we did on Wednesday night."

• Follow the rest of Friday's news conferences here