Rhian Brewster (£4.5m) is on the Sheffield United bench for the Blades’ home clash with Fulham this afternoon.
The budget forward was brought in by over 175,000 managers ahead of Gameweek 5 but has to settle for a place in Chris Wilder’s matchday squad.
On the decision to leave Brewster out of the starting line-up, the manager explained:
He was close, it was a tough decision. He trained well but it was a tight decision. He’ll play a part and it’s great to get him in the building. We’re not only here for results now, we’re building as well for the club’s future.
Sheffield United have managed just one goal so far this season, a David McGoldrick (£5.4m) strike against Arsenal during a 2-1 defeat in Gameweek 4.
The Ireland striker and his international colleague John Egan (£4.9m) both start at Bramall Lane. McGoldrick was an injury doubt, while centre-half Egan has been cleared to play after being noted as a close contact of a positive Covid-19 case in the Ireland squad.
Another Irishman in Enda Stevens (£5.4m) sees a positional change to left centre-back, meaning budget defender Jack Robinson (£4.4m) only makes the bench.
That sees a start for summer signing Max Lowe (£4.4m) at left wing-back, while Oliver Norwood (£4.8m) returns to the starting line-up in midfield.
McGoldrick is joined up front by Oli McBurnie (£5.7m) in Wilder’s familiar 3-5-2 system, with £4.5m midfielder Oliver Burke – who had been carrying a knock – dropping to the bench
Fulham have scored three times so far this season, all during a 4-3 defeat to Leeds in GW2, with both sides desperate for a win at Bramall Lane today following four consecutive defeats apiece.
New signings Tosin Adarabioyo (£4.5m) and Chelsea loanee Ruben Loftus-Cheek (£5.9m) both come straight into Scott Parker’s XI.
Ademola Lookman (£5.0m) also earns a starting spot after impressing on his off-the-bench debut in GW4 as the Cottagers lost 1-0 to Wolves.
Aleksandar Mitrovic (£5.9m) again leads the Fulham line, while Antonee Robinson (£4.4m) is favoured at left-back over Joe Bryan (£4.9m). Michael Hector (£4.4m) is not part of the matchday 18.
Joachim Andersen (£4.5m), another new centre-back addition at Craven Cottage, is set for a spell on the treatment table with damaged ankle ligaments.
On the defender and other injury issues, Scott Parker explained:
We’ve had some pretty bad news with Andersen, who’s obviously only just come into the football club. He’s damaged his ankle in training so he’ll be out for the foreseeable future.
I wouldn’t want to put an actual timescale on it but it’s going to be some weeks. It’s disappointing of course, because we had him for two days, we saw his quality, but we’re going to be without him now for a little time.
Hopefully we’ll get him right, get him rehabbed, and get him back as part of the team.
Kenny Tete‘s still struggling and will be out for a few weeks. Mario Lemina‘s back, he’s been training now for 10 days. Harrison Reed is getting there, but the weekend will come too early for him.
Sheffield United XI (3-5-2): Ramsdale; Stevens, Egan, Basham; Lowe, Lundstram, Norwood, Berge, Baldock; McGoldrick, McBurnie.
Fulham XI (4-2-3-1): Areola; Robinson, Ream, Adarabioyo, Aina; Cairney, Anguissa; Cavaleiro, Loftus-Cheek, Lookman; Mitrovic.
