Sheffield United v Arsenal: Rampant Gunners to win with room to spare

• Blades can't stop conceding home goals

• Gunners in sensational goalscoring form

• Trio of Arsenal players included in 15/116.00 Bet Builder

• Read Betfair's new 90 minute payout offer here

Sheffield United v Arsenal
Monday, 20:00
Live on Sky Sports

Football's version of David versus Goliath

I'm going to make a prediction. Sheffield United will be playing Championship football next season.

Now, once you've picked yourself up from falling off your chair following the boldness of my above prediction, let me explain the reasoning behind it. Sheff United are not very good!

The above is said tongue in cheek of course because it doesn't take a brain surgeon to know the perilous position the Blades are in. Rock bottom of the Premier League, 11 points from safety and a minus 44 goal difference, can it get any worse?

Well, it can, and it probably will on Monday night.

Chris Wilder's men have won just one of their last 10 league games - that being against fellow relegation candidates Luton Town - and they go into the game against Arsenal following back-to-back 0-5 home defeats.

The Blades have conceded at least five goals in six separate games this season, one being away to the Gunners in October, and at Bramall Lane they concede on average almost exactly three goals per game.

A full strength Arsenal team that has had nine days to prepare should be licking their lips.

Mikel Arteta's men have been in superb league form since the start of 2024, winning all six games played and scoring a quite remarkable 25 goals in the process, and that includes 13 goals in three games against Liverpool, West Ham and Newcastle!

Monday's clash really is David versus Goliath then, only this time there won't be any giant-slaying going on.

Long odds-on Gunners can't be opposed

Sometimes you're forced to look outside of the Match Odds market because it's just really tough to make a confident call - last Monday's West Ham v Brentford match for example - but on this occasion we're forced to tip elsewhere because we simply can't put up a 2/131.15 shot.

That's the price that Arsenal are to take all three points from Bramall Lane, and it's almost impossible to argue that those odds are wrong.

I can understand Sheffield United supporters having a few quid on their team at 16/117.00 more out of hope rather than expectation, betting through the heart so to speak. But if you're betting with your head, and you still fancy the Blades to win, then maybe it's time to go and see that aforementioned brain surgeon.

Betting the obvious

It's not very often that you see a bet in a football match that just seems so obvious to have, and that you're also very happy with the odds on offer for that bet.

Given that Arsenal are massive odds-on to win the game, that Over 2.5 Goals is priced at just 2/51.40, and that 'No' in the Both Teams to Score market is also odds-on, then I was quite surprised to see the Gunners at 6/42.50 to win on the -2 goal handicap line.

All the above suggests Arsenal will win the game comfortably, that we're very likely to see at leasst three goals, and that Sheffield United won't get on the scoresheet, so backing the Gunners to win by at least three goals looks an obvious play.

To summarise, the Blades have conceded three goals per game on home soil this term, they've just lost 0-5 and 0-5 in their last two home games, and they're facing a full strength Arsenal team that have won their last two Premier League away games by an aggregate score of 11-0.

Usual suspects can shine

Bet Builders have served me well in recent weeks with 7/18.00 and 6/17.00 winners from the last two I've advised, and so with Arsenal in such rampant goalscoring form it seems a no-brainer to get some of their regular starters on side for a game I expect them to win easily.

Below is a list of some of the Gunners' main men in their six-game winning streak, with the number of goals and assists they've registered in a set amount of games.

- Bukayo Saka: 7G / 1A (last 6)
- Martin Odegaard: 1G 3A (last 3)
- Gabriel Martinelli: 3G / 1A (last 6)
- Kai Havertz: 2G / 1A (last 2)
- Declan Rice: 1G / 4A (last 6)
- Jakub Kiwior: 1G 2A (last 4)
- Gabriel 3G (last 6)

As you can probably work out, it's basically take your pick as to who you back on Monday night as any of the seven players above have done enough in recent games to suggest they'll give you a good run for your money.

But the three that stand out to me are Saka, Odegaard and Rice.

Saka is in unstoppable form at present with seven goals in his last five games (his one assist came six games ago) and I have to back him to get on the scoresheet again.

English Premier League - Top 8 Goalscorers

Player	Team	Goals Scored
Erling Haaland	Man City	27
Igor Thiago	Brentford	22
Antoine Semenyo	Bournemouth	17
Ollie Watkins	Aston Villa	16
Morgan Gibbs-White	Nottm Forest	15
João Pedro	Chelsea	15
Viktor Gyökeres	Arsenal	14
Dominic Calvert-Lewin	Leeds	14

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Odegaard has also looked back to his absolute best in recent games with one goals and three assists to his name in his last three matches alone. I'll back him to register another assist on Monday night.

And although Rice has had five goal involvements in his last six games I always fancy him to get a few shots away in games against lesser opposition. He's averaged around 1.2 shots per game this season, but against the worst team in the division I fancy he'll register at least two at Bramall Lane.

Adding those three player bets to Over 3.5 Goals creates a Bet Builder that pays out at 15/116.00 if successful.

Now read our midweek Champions League previews and tips