Sheffield United v Palace

Bramall Lane, Saturday 5.20pm

Claude Davis

Team news

The fitness of Crystal Palace centre halfs Adam Barrett and Claude Davis will be assessed right up to kick off. Barrett is still suffering from concussion and Davies has the flu. Anthony Gardner should step in should either not make it.

Sean Scannell and Lee Hills (both knee) are still sidelined. Julian Bennett plus keeper Lewis Price (both back) are out.

Sheffield United midfielder Stephen Quinn is set to return after sitting out last weekend's fixture for personal reasons. Midfielder Andy Reid is on loan from Sunderland and is likely to make his full home debut.

Quotes

Roy Hodgson

"We move on to tomorrow's televised game with Sheffield United tomorrow in good spirits and determined to maintain our improved run of form. Typically for us this season, we couldn't do an awful lot of work on the training pitch in the early part of the week as almost half the first team squad weren't fit to train.

"Darren Ambrose, Neil Danns, James Vaughan and Alex Marrow all picked up knocks last weekend, Claude Davis was still not right with this virus he has had and young Wilfried turned up with the same bug on Monday and could hardly do a thing.

"Luckily enough we had no midweek game and none of the injuries are too serious - we hope - so most, if not all, should be ready for the match at Brammall Lane.

"Sheffield Utd have struggled so far as well, but you only need to look at the league table to tell you what a few wins for either team could do to their season. The campaign is still to settle down and a run of results - as we are starting to put together - can turn things round pretty quickly.

"I know I've said it many times before but I really think you can't judge where we are as a side until we have had a sustained period with all our main players fit. Just looked what happened to Chelsea at home to Sunderland last Sunday. John Terry was out, Frank Lampard was out, Michael Essien was out and they got beat 3-0.

"Thankfully now we've got Ambrose, Danns and the like back fit and firing again and the points have started to flow. Fingers crossed we can keep that improved run of form going in Sheffield."

Gary Speed

"We need to score more goals and create more chances. I want us to be confident on the ball and use it well. If I had one criticism from what happened at The New Den it would be the fact that we didn't go and get a second goal.

"It's understandable because we were probably lacking a little bit of confidence but that's one of the things we've been working on. There are things we can improve all over the pitch and we'll keep trying to do that.

"We need to score more goals and create more chances while it also goes without saying that I want us keep more clean sheets. However, I don't think we've conceded from open play for quite a while. That shows we are getting there."

Sheffield United - league stats

Full league table

Sheffield United - current form

Full form table

Last five results

Date	Type	Home Team	Score	Away Team
06/03/2010	League	Crystal Palace	1 - 0	Sheffield United
12/12/2009	League	Sheffield United	2 - 0	Crystal Palace
03/05/2009	League	Crystal Palace	0 - 0	Sheffield United
20/12/2008	League	Sheffield United	2 - 2	Crystal Palace
29/12/2007	League	Sheffield United	0 - 1	Crystal Palace

All time results

Last meeting

Palace 1-0 Sheffield United

Saturday March 06 2010

Palace: Speroni, Hill, Butterfield, Davis, Ertl, Clyne, Ambrose (Hills, 89), Carle (Scannell, 89), Derry, Andrew (N'Diaye, 87), Lee

Subs not used: Lawrence, John, Djilali, Mann

Goals: Lee 23

Bookings: Derry, N'Diaye

Sheffield United: Bunn, Morgan, Nosworthy, Bartley, Kallio, Yeates (Evans, 78), Quinn (Camara, 58), Williamson (Harper, 70), Montgomery, Cresswell, Ward

Subs not used: Bennett, Seip, Taylor, Stewart

Bookings: Cresswell, Williamson

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