Blunting Blades!

The Clarets will be over in Yorkshire tomorrow hoping to play with steel and blunt some Sheffield United blades. They will certainly be wanting to forget their last match, which saw them defeated at home by Saints in certainly their worst game of this season.

Having lost Duff to a long-term cruciate injury, they have now also lost Captain Caldwell in the back-four.He is out for six weeks with a torn thigh tendon.

The back four therefore will now automatically pick itself we expect with Unsworth stepping into the starting eleven with Alexander, Carlisle and Jordan joining him in the back four. The gaffer though might be tempted to play Harley in place of Jordan.

Apart from the long-term injury to Berisha, the gaffer appears to have no more injury concerns and the team could line up as follows:

Kiraly, Alexander, Carlisle, Unsworth, Jordan, Elliott, Spicer, McCann, Lafferty, Gray, Blake

Subs: Harley, James O'Connor, Akinbiyi, Jensen, Mahon.

Two former, Clarets loan players could face us with Gary Cahill and Phil Bardsley in the Blades squad

Despite signs of a shaky defence in recent games, the Clarets are still well placed in 12th place on 17 points only three points still from sixth place with a game in hand.

Sheffield United however have been struggling this season and some knives are already out for manager, Bryan Robson. They are currently 19th on 14 points and this week they were also convincingly knocked out of the Carling Cup at home by Arsenal in a 3-0 defeat.

Bramall Lane though is one of them grounds where we never seem to win. The last time was way back in 1973/4 when we managed a 2-0 win.

Its about time that changed and we need to restore some confidence and get back to winning ways and winning convincingly

'I think there were a few feathers ruffled, but to be fair to them, I think they've reacted in the right way.

'Not only was I disappointed with their performances, but I think they were too and the sign of a good player is to knuckle down from the first time they walk through the door on Monday morning, and, in the next game produce something completely different to what they've produced in the last one.

'I thought the rest of the boys that were involved in the squad were good in the reserves in midweek and those who trained (on Thursday) have been very, very good.

'They have been first class this week in training, so we just need one more good training session out of them today, (Friday) to take ourselves into the game on Saturday, which is the biggest day out of all five of them.'

'We're going away to Sheffield United, where there's a big expectancy on them to perhaps go back up again this year. But I would imagine the people working there - Bryan (Robson), his staff and the players - know that there's no God-given guarantees back down in this league.

'It's a tough league and you don't get easy games every week. So we've got to go there with some good courage and determination, be full of running and be ruthless when we get our chances'

Sheffield United keeper Paddy Kenny looks likely to miss out again, so Ian Bennett will probably be in goal.

Former Clarets loan defenders Gary Cahill and Phil Bardsley are set to return, while striker Billy Sharp is hoping for a first league start since 1 September.

We might be wishing he was back in our team if our defence continue to look shaky.

Clarets captain Steven Caldwell has been ruled out for six weeks after suffering a torn thigh tendon He joins Michael Duff and Besart Berisha on the sidelines.

Veteran defender David Unsworth is in contention to replace Caldwell

Lets hope he at least comes on from the bench and reminds the Blades what they are missing.

This was two seasons ago, when Sheffield were promoted to the Premiership. They got the double over us that season and we lost 3-0 at Bramall Lane in December 2005 after they beat us 2-1 at home in August.

I just think its about time our luck changed and we got something at this bogey ground. If we can get one nil up,the crowd could well start getting on the home teams's back with Robson the main target. This could be to our advantage. 0-1 Clarets

Next up Hull City at home on Tuesday November 6th @7:45pm

Seconds Out! Vital Boxing is here!

Vital F1 Prediction League - Join now for Monaco