TEAM NEWS
John Stones is ruled out for Manchester City because of the ankle injury he sustained against Everton on Wednesday.
Kevin de Bruyne is close to a comeback but is unlikely to be risked, while Erling Haaland is not ready to feature.
Sheffield United pair Anel Ahmedhodzic and Gustavo Hamer are both suspended.
Loanee James McAtee is ineligible to face his parent club but Rhian Brewster and Rhys Norrington-Davies returned to the matchday squad on Boxing Day.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Manchester City have won the past six competitive meetings, with their only defeat in 11 coming away in the FA Cup fourth round in January 2008.
- Sheffield United are winless in 12 away games against City in all competitions since Chris Wilder played in their 3-2 triumph in the Second Division at Maine Road in October 1987.
- The Blades failed to score in any of their nine most recent league visits to Manchester City.
Manchester City
- City have 37 points after 18 matches. Their lowest tally at the halfway stage of a season under Pep Guardiola is 38 in 2019-20.
- They have gone eight consecutive league games without a clean sheet. No team managed by Guardiola has ever had a longer run.
- The reigning champions could concede a goal in nine successive league fixtures for the first time since a streak of 10 in 2006.
- Manchester City have drawn their last three top-flight home games, squandering the lead each time. They have not gone four without a win at Etihad Stadium since December 2016.
- They have only lost their final league match of the year once in the previous 22 years, going down 1-0 at Liverpool in 2016.
- City have won 14 of their past 15 top-flight fixtures against newly promoted opposition, also drawing 1-1 at Nottingham Forest in February.
- Julian Alvarez has three goals and three assists in his last six starts in all competitions.
Sheffield United
- The Blades have nine points after 19 matches. The fewest points a team has had at this stage of a Premier League season and avoided relegation is 10 by West Brom in 2004-05.
- They are only the second team to concede as many as 47 goals after 19 games of a Premier League season. Barnsley had let in 50 at the same stage in 1997-98.
- Nonetheless, Sheffield United have earned four points from five league outings since Chris Wilder’s return, just one fewer than in their opening 14 fixtures under Paul Heckingbottom.
- They have lost 17 of their past 18 top-flight away games against the defending champions, with the exception a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in August 1971.
- All five of United’s away league goals this season have come in the second half.
