Newcastle United face Sheffield United at Bramall Lane in a 6pm kick off on Tuesday night hoping for a first Premier League win since December 12th having gone seven games without a win and been knocked out of both Cups in a tough month on Tyneside.

Andy Carroll had the best of the opportunities on Saturday night for Newcastle yet it wasn't to be against a revitalised Gunners side, who ruthlessly punished a tired error in extra time at The Emirates to secure a place in The Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round:

Sheffield United, meanwhile, managed to secure their first win of the season in any competition at the 19th attempt beating Bristol Rovers on Saturday afternoon 3-2 in The FA Cup, which was Chris Wilder's 100th win as Blades Manager but they have started the season dreadfully winning only two points from an available 51 from draws with Fulham and Brighton.

Last season, Newcastle were one of only a handful of clubs who did a Premier League double over Chris Wilder's men home and away, winning impressively 2-0 down at Bramall Lane, thanks to goals from Allan Saint-Maximum and JonJo Shelvey via VAR:

Then followed that up with a 3-1 win at St. James' Park following the break for Corona Virus thank to goals from Saint-Maximin again, Matt Ritchie and Joelinton to kickstart Project Restart in the best possible way:

Tuesday night's game is a must-win match for both Uniteds, Sheffield and Newcastle, as The Blades must win a first Premier League game of the season as quickly as possible if they are to keep any faint hope alive of avoiding relegation and The Magpies must get back to winning ways to keep any relegation fears at bay &, now they are out of both Cups, kick on and ensure the club have a strong second half to the season.

Wilder is hoping to make Saturday's victory a springboard to the most unlikely great escape in Premier League history & said that everyone connected to The Blades needed to taste that winning feeling after a very tough 2020 & especially 2020/21 season.

Four Sheffield United regulars - George Baldock, Enda Stevens, Billy Sharp and Phil Jagielka all missed the FA Cup win against Bristol Rovers on Saturday, while striker Lys Mousset went off injured at the Memorial Stadium - and most are expected to return.

In his pre-game presser, Bruce revealed he could welcome back keeper Karl Darlow, centre backs Fabian Schar and Fede Fernandez, key midfielder JonJo Shelvey, winger Ryan Fraser and striker Callum Wilson for the game & played down any relegation fears:

‘At the moment we have a nice healthy cushion to the bottom three,’ he said. ‘If we’d gone in the bottom three then I’d say maybe (we were in a relegation fight). We knew this would be a tough run of fixtures. We’re in that run where we have to get out of it.
‘But Sheffield United’s position proves how difficult the Premier League is. They took it by storm last year and were in the top six at Christmas. So although they prop up the table, they are a very good side still. We’ll have to be at our best to beat them.’

Off the pitch, hopes for the revival of the Saudi takeover have increased in recent weeks after the Qataris and Saudis found a compromise last week to long-standing enmity and Mike Ashley's lawyer in the battle against The Premier League, Nick De Marco QC, was an interested spectator at The Emirates on Saturday night...

...and one of the Newcastle fans who are challenging The Premier League for breach of Anti-Competition law, Keith Patterson, was on the NUFC Matters podcast on Friday night and explained exactly why Newcastle fans can be positive on the takeover in 2021:

Newcastle will go 11 points clear of the bottom three with a win over The Blades and that would mean a brighter outlook for the club on and off the pitch going into 2021. HWTL.

Prediction: Newcastle United 2 Sheffield United 1