The so-called ‘Project Restart’ that details the return of professional football in England has revealed more good news for Sheffield United.
It has already outlined the plan for the Premier League to resume on June 8. The remaining 92 fixtures will be played behind closed doors, in quick succession, at neutral venues.
This is positive for the Blades, who have enjoyed an impressive return to the top flight in 2019/20. Before the season was indefinitely suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, they sat seventh in the table after 28 matches.
The newly promoted side already have 43 points, allaying any possible fears of relegation. They also have a game in hand over those teams directly above them. If they were to win that they could rise as high as fifth.
It means there is a genuinely realistic chance of United qualifying for Europe.
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How ‘Project Restart’ has revealed more good news
(Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Yet not only will the Premier League resume in the coming weeks, but according to the Daily Mail, the FA Cup is also set to be concluded. The Blades remain in the competition and were due to play Arsenal in the quarter-finals on March 22 before football was put on hold.
It is a huge boost that they also will be able to play that game and maintain the opportunity to win silverware this term.
United are only two matches away from the final – a stage they haven’t reached since 1936. They were in the semis as recently as 2015, losing to Hull City in a 5-3 thriller at Wembley Stadium.
Yet the Blades were a League One team then and very much the underdogs. That does somewhat remain the case with holders Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United also in the last eight. But under manager Chris Wilder, the Blades look as strong as they have done for many years.
