Sheffield United vs Liverpool Tips

Sheffield United, the oldest club in membership of the Football Association, emerged as clear runners-up behind Reading in the Football League Championship last season and have more than earned this belated return to the top flight. However, there will be no time for acclimatisation as they are thrown straight in at the deep end when they entertain a Liverpool side fresh from a Community Shield victory over chelsea at Bramall Lane on Saturday afternoon. The Blades have been absent from the Premiership, or the old Division 1 as it was formerly known, since the 1993/94 season, so it's hard to construct a logically convincing argument about this game based on statistics, as the teams have evolved so much in the interim. Subsequent to United's departure from the summit of English football, they have met Liverpool just the twice, which was over two legs of the League Cup semi-final in 2003, which Liverpool eventually won 3-2 on aggregate. Interestingly, albeit probably insignificantly, Sheffield United have only beaten once by Pool at home in their last ten meetings. And, Neil Warnock's charges boasted a solid record in their own backyard in the Championship last term, winning 15 of their 23 home fixtures. But, and it's a big but, Liverpool look in a different class to the Yorkshire outfit. Rafa Benitez has created a real togetherness within the Reds' ranks, and they look set to rank highly on all front this season - Premiership and Champions League included - so one would expect them to brush aside the newbies on Saturday. Indeed, while Sheffield United prepared for this match with a 2-0 win over Matlock, Liverpool come into this game on the back of a 2-1 beating of Chelsea at the Millennium Stadium and while many might dismiss that as meaningless given what as at stake, I for one reckon it will prove to be a good deal more significant than many expect. Victory over Chelsea, runaway winners of the last two Premiership's and boasting a squad strong enough to field two classy teams at the highest level, will have given Rafa's charges a huge psychological boost ahead of the start of the 2006/07 campaign, and here at readaBet we expect them to carry all before them, having selected them to win the Premiership at 8/1. The new arrivals at Anfield - particularly Craig Bellamy - have already made an impact, and it looks as though the Merseyside club now have the balance that they lacked on occasions last season. With confidence sky high, it's not hard to envisage Liverpool taking this game by the scruff of the neck and, therefore, the 7/5 on offer with Paddy Power about Liverpool/Liverpool in the double result market could turn out to be pretty magnanimous. In addition to Bellamy, Peter Crouch is obviously a constant threat. The two combined to good effect against Chelsea and the lanky England International met Bellamy's exquisite cross with pinpoint accuracy to deliver the sucker punch in the Community Shield last weekend. It's scary to think how much havoc they night create amongst United's defensive line on Saturday lunchtime. Unfortunately, for the Blades, record signing Claude Davis is likely to be out of action until mid-September due to a knee cartilage injury. But they do have a good deal of firepower and, if they are able to break Liverpool down, they have strikers more than capable of converting chances, including Danny Webber and Niel Shipperley. However, breaking down Liverpool, who boast one of the best defensive record from the Premiership last season, will be easier said than done. Verdict - 2.50pts Liverpool/Liverpool in the double result market @ 7/5 (Paddy Power)