Chelsea vs Sheffield United LIVE: Result and reaction from FA Cup fixture today
The Blues are looking for two cup victories this week after easing past Atletico Madrid in the Champions League
Chelsea host Sheffield United with both teams targeting a place in the FA Cup semi-finals.
While the Blues have been riding high under Thomas Tuchel, with their unbeaten streak now stretching to 13 games after comfortably beating Atletico Madrid this week to advance to the quarter-final of the Champions League.
Blades have suffered a different experience, with Chris Wilder’s departure and relegation staring them in the face, but the FA Cup provides a welcome distraction after being thumped by Leicester last time out.
The Blues will likely shuffled the pack, as has been common under Tuchel so far, but despite the progress since Frank Lampard’s departure, the former PSG and Borussia Dortmund coach is aware he needs to find the right balance between defence and attack with more cutting edge in the final third: “We lack some precision in the final third and some goals, but we’ve never lacked the work-rate against the ball, touches in the box, shots.
“Maybe we lacked composure but that’s our fault because we work so hard against the ball. It’s about balance and I believe we have that balance in how the players feel.
“We’ll never stop to think about how to create chances, offensive solutions, where to create spaces and to accelerate our attacks. But we also think about counter-pressing.”
Follow live updates from Stamford Bridge, including build-up, analysis and reaction on a big day of football, with the final quarter-final, Leicester vs Manchester United, later on:
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Is Chelsea vs Sheffield United on TV today? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch FA Cup fixture
Head-to-head
Chelsea have won four of their five FA Cup games against Sheffield United, keeping a clean sheet in each of those victories.
The Blades’ last win away to Chelsea came in a Premier League match on 31 October 1992, when Brian Deane scored the decisive goal in a 2-1 victory.
But Sheffield United are winless in their subsequent four games at Stamford Bridge with one draw and three defeats.
Quarter-final specialists
Chelsea have reached the FA Cup quarter-finals for the 15th time in 21 seasons - more than any other side during that period.
They have lost just three of 14 quarter-final ties this century, including a solitary home defeat against Arsenal in 2003.
Good signs
Sheffield United last reached the semi-finals in 2014, when they were a third-tier side. The Blades have won their last three FA Cup away games.
FORTRESS STAMFORD BRIDGE
Victory would send Chelsea through to the semi-finals for the fourth time in five seasons. The Blues have won 19 of their last 23 FA Cup games at Stamford Bridge, including each of the last four.
Three in a row?
Sheffield United’s most recent FA Cup victories against top-flight opponents both came in west London, a 3-0 triumph at QPR in 2015 and 1-0 win at Fulham in 2014.
The Blades have lost five of their last six games, conceding 13 goals and scoring just once, in their win against Aston Villa.
Heckingbottom believes in Blades upset
Chelsea’s win against Atletico Madrid shows the size of the task. But it’s also a one-off game.
“Everyone wrote this team off before they went to Old Trafford and pulled off the win there. So we know the size of the task, but we also know it’s possible. That’s it, simple.
“If we didn’t think it was possible, we may as well give them the round.
“It’s a fantastic experience, a great game to play in and they don’t come around very often - no matter how long your career is, quarter-finals of the FA Cup don’t come around often.”
Here come the teams. Sheffield United are big underdogs today but there’s a place at Wembley at stake. Can they cause an upset in west London this afternoon?
Chelsea 0 - 0 Sheffield Utd
Kick off: Sheffield United get the match underway, they put together a decent attack to feed the ball to David McGoldrick but Chelsea deal with it and sweep forward. Christian Pulisic gets free on the left wing and has an attempted cross into the box blocked.
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