Sheffield United were promoted to the Premier League after finishing second in the Championship &#8211; here, we preview their FPL and wider fantasy football prospects for the 2023/24 season.
We take a look at their Championship season and star players, predicted lineup and set-piece takers.
Our in-depth look at the top three Sheffield United FPL players will be published nearer to the Gameweek 1 deadline <a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/best-fantasy-premier-league-players">here</a>.
A special piece on the promoted teams&#8217; bonus potential in Sky, Telegraph and Dream Team can be found <a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/burnley-sheffield-united-and-luton-sky-tff-and-dream-team-bonus-potential">here</a>.

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Last updated: 01/08/23
<h2>Sheffield United: At a glance</h2>
Manager: Paul Heckingbottom
2022/23 position: 2nd (Championship)
Top scorer: Iliman Ndiaye (14)
Top assists: Iliman Ndiaye (10)
Key transfers in: Benie Traore (Hacken), Anis Slimane (Brondby), Yasser Larouchi (Troyes)
Key transfers out: Billy Sharp, Enda Stevens, Jack O&#8217;Connell (free agents)
<div id="attachment_54930" style="width: 855px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-54930" class="size-full wp-image-54930" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Championship-table-2022-23.jpg" alt="" width="845" height="303" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Championship-table-2022-23.jpg 845w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Championship-table-2022-23-300x108.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Championship-table-2022-23-768x275.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Championship-table-2022-23-610x219.jpg 610w" sizes="(max-width: 845px) 100vw, 845px" />The 2022/23 Championship top six. Source: Google</div>
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<h2>Sheffield United stats and best players</h2>
Sheffield United secured their return to the Premier League after two seasons in the Championship.
They were beaten by Nottingham Forest in the playoff semi-finals last year &#8211; but this time they achieved automatic promotion, finishing second behind champions Burnley and 11 points clear of third-placed Luton.
The Blades were the third-highest scorers, with 73 goals, and had the joint-second best defence, conceding 39.
They kept 19 clean sheets in the 46 game season, the fourth-highest tally.
Despite finishing 10 points behind Burnley, it was United who had the better expected goals (xG) tally.
According to <a href="https://fbref.com/en/comps/10/Championship-Stats">FBref</a> data, their xG of 71.8 was bettered only by Middlesbrough (72.6), with Burnley third on 66.2.
Burnley however significantly outscored their xG, finding the net 87 times, while United&#8217;s 73 goals was similar to their xG.
United were third when it came to expected goals conceded (xGC) on 44.3, with Luton and Burnley ahead of them.
<h3>2022/23 season best players</h3>
Key to their success was player of the year Iliman Ndiaye, who scored 14 goals and assisted 10 &#8211; leading the way among his teammates in both categories.
Ndiaye, who featured in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for Senegal, played in every game for the Blades, playing a part from the bench just three times.
Ollie McBurnie was a goal behind on 13 for the season, having made 38 appearances.
Manchester City loanees Tommy Doyle and James McAtee were key figures too, with the latter scoring nine times. Neither has rejoined at the time of writing though.
In defence, Anel Ahmedhodzic is one to watch. The centre-back scored six goals and assisted two in the Championship last season.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-55415" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Ndiaye-2.jpg" alt="" width="897" height="731" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Ndiaye-2.jpg 897w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Ndiaye-2-300x244.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Ndiaye-2-768x626.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Ndiaye-2-610x497.jpg 610w" sizes="(max-width: 897px) 100vw, 897px" />
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<h3>Sheffield United FPL stats in 2020/21</h3>
Blades fans will be hoping for a better Premier League performance from their team than was managed in 2020/21.
United finished bottom on 23 points, a major disappointment after they came ninth the previous season.
Their <a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/opta/" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c="1" title="FPL Stats by OPTA - Player and Team Stats">stats</a> in the Covid-affected campaign highlighted why they were relegated, with the Blades struggling to score goals and keep clean sheets.
This all added up to their players scoring a measly 1,051 FPL points &#8211; the worst return in the league.
<div id="attachment_54928" style="width: 463px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-54928" class="size-full wp-image-54928" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Sheffield-United-stats.jpg" alt="" width="453" height="155" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Sheffield-United-stats.jpg 453w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Sheffield-United-stats-300x103.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 453px) 100vw, 453px" />Sheffield United&#8217;s <a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/opta/" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c="1" title="FPL Stats by OPTA - Player and Team Stats">stats</a> in the 2020/21 Premier League season</div>
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<h2>Sheffield United predicted lineup for FPL Gameweek 1</h2>
Sheffield United&#8217;s starting 11 for FPL Gameweek 1 will depend on their transfers and squad fitness.
For our final predicted lineups and team news, see <a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/premier-league-predicted-lineups">Ben Dinnery&#8217;s article</a> ahead of the deadline.
Here, we take a look at our Sheffield United predicted lineup as things stand:
<div id="attachment_56216" style="width: 613px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-56216" class="wp-image-56216 size-full" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Sheffield-United-predicted-lineup-2.jpg" alt="" width="603" height="753" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Sheffield-United-predicted-lineup-2.jpg 603w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Sheffield-United-predicted-lineup-2-240x300.jpg 240w" sizes="(max-width: 603px) 100vw, 603px" />Sheffield United predicted lineup</div>
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Sheffield United have a small squad and it is likely to still be a work in progress after the FPL season begins.
The main absence from this starting 11 is Ndiaye, who would have been a certain starter given his talismanic status.
But Ndiaye is on the verge of a move to Marseille after a pre-season full of speculation.
New signing Benie Traore could be partnered by William Osula over Oli McBurnie, who has had injury issues, and Daniel Jebbison.
Traore scored 12 in 14 for Swedish top-flight team Hacken last season.
Wes Foderingham is poised to start in goal ahead of a back three of John Egan, Ahmedhodzic and Jack Robinson.
Austen Trusty is reportedly on the brink of joining from Arsenal and could claim Robinson&#8217;s spot if Heckingbottom thrusts him straight into the action.
Max Lowe could get the initial nod over new face Yasser Larouchi.
Rhys Norrington-Davies, an option at both left centre-back and left wing-back had a serious hamstring problem last season and is unlikely to be a regular from Gameweek 1.
Sander Berge, George Baldock and Oliver Norwood are familiar faces from the Blades&#8217; previous Premier League campaigns.
They could be joined by Anis Slimane, who has featured in pre-season after joining from Brondby.
Heckingbottom is likely to use a 3-5-2 or 3-4-2-1 formation, as was usually the approach in the Championship.
<h2>Sheffield United set-piece takers</h2>
The Hub keeps a track on all set-piece takers on our dedicated <a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/premier-league-set-piece-takers">set-piece page</a>.
Sheffield United&#8217;s set-piece takers are dependent on their summer transfers. Norwood was the key man last season, however his involvement will depend on his minutes. Doyle was the next go-to man for corners and free kicks.
The Blades were awarded two penalties last season, with both of them missed. Norwood missed in August 2022, with Brewster unsuccessful two months later.
At the time of Norwood&#8217;s miss, Heckingbottom <a href="https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/manager-explains-sheffield-uniteds-penalty-pecking-order-after-ollie-norwood-millwall-miss-3797880">told the press</a> that Billy Sharp &#8211; no longer a factor having left the club &#8211; was the usual spot-kick taker, with Norwood second in line and Berge third.
Berge was not in the team at the time of Brewster&#8217;s penalty, and nor was Sharp. McBurnie, who was on the field, last took a penalty in 2019 &#8211; for former club Swansea.
Like other set pieces, summer signings could well play a part in the club&#8217;s plans.
Penalties: Oliver Norwood, Sander Berge
Direct free kicks: Oliver Norwood
Corners/indirect free-kicks: Oliver Norwood
Aerial threats: Anel Ahmedhodzic, John Egan, Oli McBurnie
<div id="attachment_55417" style="width: 907px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-55417" class="size-full wp-image-55417" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/McBurnie.jpg" alt="" width="897" height="731" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/McBurnie.jpg 897w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/McBurnie-300x244.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/McBurnie-768x626.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/McBurnie-610x497.jpg 610w" sizes="(max-width: 897px) 100vw, 897px" />Oli McBurnie</div>
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<h2>Check out our Ultimate Guide to FPL</h2>
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Sheffield United FPL and fantasy football tips: Predicted lineup, set-piece takers and team preview

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