Watford midfielder Tom Cleverley says their match with Sheffield United this weekend is “huge.”
The Hornets welcome Chris Wilder’s side to Vicarage Road on Saturday as the only team in the Premier League yet to win a game this season.
They sit rock bottom of the table with two points and a minus 16 goal difference. This is after five defeats from their opening seven matches – including an 8-0 hammering at Manchester City.
Last time out they were beaten 2-0 by Wolverhampton Wanderers and Cleverley knows his side must improve.
“We’ve been poor in the last couple of games,” the 30-year-old told the Watford Observer.
“But Arsenal, Man City away, Wolves away is not the easiest three fixtures to come into and, with no disrespect to Sheffield United because they’re a really competitive side, but we have to be really at it next weekend.
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“We know that – we’ve been in the game long enough to know that next Saturday’s a huge game.”
Sheffield United also need to bounce back against Watford
It’s easy to see why Cleverley is targeting the Blades. If his team are to avoid relegation this season then they need to be winning at home against newly promoted sides.
However, for Wilder and his men they are also looking to bounce back from defeat. They were beaten 1-0 at home by Liverpool last time in a result that is far from embarrassing.
Yet Wilder felt it was an opportunity missed against an under-performing Reds. It was also their third loss in four league games at Bramall Lane already this term.
Unfortunately for the Hornets they are unbeaten on the road, though. As well as draws at Bournemouth and Chelsea, their last away match was a 2-0 victory over Everton.
With Cleverley and his teammates in such poor form, the Blades will almost certainly be viewing this upcoming meeting as winnable.
Bring it on.