The Blades will go into that game on the back of successive victories – admittedly, neither the 3-2 FA Cup win at Bristol Rovers nor the victory over Newcastle were entirely convincing but the boost they will have given a side that had gone six months without winning cannot be underestimated.
Those games are followed by what is simply a must-win match at home to West Brom at the start of February, a month in which the Blades also visit Fulham and West Ham in two other important fixtures.
Key defender Jack O’Connell is slated to return from injury next month but it’s been at the other end of the pitch and, perhaps even more tellingly, off the pitch, where they have really suffered…
Lys Mousset has suffered an injury-plagued season while last term’s other joint top scorer Oli McBurnie has struggled for confidence, leaving David McGoldrick leading the way on four.
Might we, in the second half of the season, see more of Billy Sharp? He might be 34 and his two goals this campaign might both be from the penalty spot – including the winner against Newcastle – but he has proven throughout his career his ability to sniff out a goal which is what United desperately need right now.
Three teams have been bottom at Christmas and survived – West Bromwich Albion in 2004-05, Sunderland in 2013-14 and Leicester the following season (we all know what happened after that).
It’s not Christmas now though, you say? Well, it sort of is – the fact the season began a month later means we are now, at the 17/18 game mark, around where we would usually be at Christmas.
All three of those teams had 10 points at the stage, double the Blades’ tally now – and while all three had to produce a sustained run of form, they also benefited from a real lack of quality around them, just like there is this season.
In 2005 West Brom stayed up with 34 points, the lowest total to survive in Premier League history – but there have been plenty in a similar ballpark laying waste to the ’40 points for safety’ myth.
In the past 15 seasons, the 17th-placed top-flight team has survived with totals of 34, 38, 36, 35, 39, 40, 37, 39, 36, 39, 39, 40, 36, 36 and 35.
When you look at the bottom six, you could easily make a case that West Brom’s record will not last past this season – but even then it’s still a push for the Blades to get to 30 points based on their current ratio.
It’s not impossible, mind, and the optimists and romantics among you might find that 12/1 on the Blades staying up attractive – the price will certainly drop should they beat Spurs on Sunday.
Odds correct at 0830 GMT (14/01/21)
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