The thing about hitting rock bottom is that at least there is only one way to go from there - up.
That is likely what Chris Wilder will be telling himself anyway, after Sheffield United were once again defeated, this time by fellow strugglers Burnley. Ben Mee opened the scoring in the 32nd minute and despite Wilder's charges dominating possession, they could not muster a reply.
16 - Sheffield United are winless in their 16 Premier League games this season – equalling Queens Park Rangers’ Premier League record of longest winless run from the start of a campaign (16 in 2012-13). Slide. pic.twitter.com/PqcGt5x1Ue
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 29, 2020
The 1-0 defeat means the Blades will enter 2021 with just two Premier League points from their opening 16 games. It also means they have become the first top flight since 1902 to fail to win a single a game in a season before New Year's Day.
The last team to fail to chalk up a victory before the turn of the year was Bolton Wanderers. It will not surprise you to learn than the Trotters ended up finishing stone dead last that season, a fate that surely awaits Sheffield United this term if things do not improve - sharpish.
The Blades' defeat to Burnley also condemned Oliver Burke to an unenviable fate. Since signing for West Brom 2017, the Scotsman has played an incredible 25 games without tasting a Premier League victory. This is one more match than long-standing, yet surprising, record holder Gareth Bale went without a win at the start of his Tottenham career.
25 - Sheffield United’s Oliver Burke hasn’t ended on the winning side in any of his first 25 appearances in the Premier League – the longest winless start to a player’s career in the competition (overtaking Gareth Bale’s 24 apps). Ouch. pic.twitter.com/Kwc5ZKxCjr
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 29, 2020
At least Burke has some hope of bringing his tortuous wait to an end in 2021. The Blades kick off the new year with a trip to Crystal Palace, before they host Newcastle with an FA Cup tie at Bristol Rovers sandwiched in between.
Wilder will likely be desperate to earn some vital points from this run as afterwards, things get a bit tricky to say the least. Tottenham, Manchester United and Manchester City round off Sheffield United's January fixtures with the Blades unlikely to have much joy against any of them. Then again, maybe they will.
Source: 90min
