Starting Sunday, Chelsea embark on a five-day tour of South Yorkshire, taking in two clubs separated by 12 miles of green belt, blanketed in snow. Before Barnsley in the FA Cup we meet Sheffield United in the Premier League, both sides having regained some momentum of late.

Bramall Lane is one of those rare away fixtures where the Blues’ biggest ever win was the maiden bow there, a 3-0 way back in January 1908 with dear old ‘Gatling gun’ George Hilsdon on the scoresheet twice. Our most recent success there came in 2006 when Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack scored the goals.

The hard-running Blades have rediscovered their cutting edge, generating five wins from the past seven games across all competitions. They also have an extra two days over the Blues to prepare for this game.

The easiest teams to face can be those with little to play for, not those ‘kicking and fighting for their lives’ as head coach Chris Wilder describes his team. Unbeaten Blues coach Thomas Tuchel will be wanting his team to match those qualities pound for pound, and the players will want to erase the memory of last summer’s lack-lustre loss at Bramall Lane. That was our heaviest away defeat of the calendar year and only loss in 23 league skirmishes with the pride of Yorkshire.

Chelsea team news

Faced with hard-working hosts who have enjoyed 48 hours more rest, Tuchel has conceded his starting 11 may need to change to retain the same levels of sharpness and physicality.

Thanks to Jorginho’s penalty, Tuchel became the first coach to start his Chelsea career with three clean sheets since 2004, coincidentally succeeding the man he outwitted on Thursday, Jose Mourinho.

The back-three has suited the personnel selected in the three games to date, and higher upfield there were interesting elements designed to expose Tottenham’s weaknesses. Mason Mount and Callum Hudson-Odoi, both instrumental in the Blues’ complete domination of the opening 45 minutes, often played like two number 10s, moving fluidly to a second striker or wing position, novel roles for both.

With the equally imposing Reece James also restored to wing-back it was torrid half for Spurs’ Ben Davies and Eric Dier but, as the Bavarian pointed out, a killer instinct in the final third would have made for a far more comfortable night.

Blues’ players squandering possession contributed to Spurs’ second-half improvement, though the renewed defensive resilience and team structure limited the anguish of west London’s faithful to two attempts on target. That meant just four accurate shots at Edou Mendy’s goal over the past three games, but the ’keeper’s reliability with his feet against the hosts’ high press also helped out.

Thiago Silva’s muscle injury is likely to break up the three centre-backs, but the system has always suited Andreas Christensen and he came on for a fine performance on Thursday.

The quick turnaround may present opportunities for those who missed out on that delightful derby victory, too, such as Ben Chilwell, Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech, Kurt Zouma and Tammy Abraham. The latter has scored four career goals in four encounters with Sheffield United (one of those for Aston Villa). Fellow striker Timo Werner could make it a ‘double’ against the Blades after netting in the 4-1 drubbing of them at the Bridge in November.

That reverse fixture confirmed Ziyech’s left foot as a new weapon in Chelsea’s armoury. The Moroccan’s crosses and set-plays carved out three great chances for the Blues, two of them assists.

Another walk on the Wilder side

Chris Wilder’s side have lost almost three-quarters of their matches at Bramall Lane this season, but their record over the past four home matches is actually one point better than Chelsea’s at the Bridge.

Their stirring victory at Old Trafford was the reward for qualities associated with the Blades of last season: boldness, aggression and organisation, plus the inspired tweaks of their coach, whose substitutions regularly shift the sands of play.

The Blades’ midfield three – John Fleck, Oliver Norwood and rehabilitated contract rebel John Lundstram – seem to have recaptured the form that unfortunately proved too much for their Chelsea counterparts on the same ground in July.

Against relegation rivals West Bromwich in midweek, though, Norwood was sacrificed for fit-again centre-forward Oli McBurnie at half-time, and David McGoldrick resumed his old number 10 role. The change of shape seemed to energise the Blades’ final-third passing and may be retained this weekend.

As against Newcastle, it was Billy Sharp’s finishing that finally saw off the Baggies. The striker, 35 on Friday, has been competing for minutes alongside leading scorer McGoldrick with former Chelsea Academy player Rhian Brewster.

Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale’s performances have been instrumental in the Blades’ recent upturn in form, but set-piece defending has been a problem all season. Only Crystal Palace and Leeds have faced more shots from those situations, and the Blades have conceded nine goals from headers compared with Chelsea’s two.

The impressive Ethan Ampadu, who has helped solve some defensive problems for the Blades while on loan, cannot feature at left centre-back against his parent club. The 20-year-old’s place could be taken by Kean Bryan or Jack Robinson.

The hosts’ injury issues may have increased with a hamstring for George Baldock, a vital cog in Wilder’s machine who is ‘touch-and-go’ to make Sunday. Jayden Bogle, who equalised against West Brom, could secure the attacking right-back slot in his place.

How to watch Sheffield United-Chelsea

This match will be covered live by Sky Sports in the UK. To find the relevant broadcaster where you are elsewhere, see the Premier League’s broadcast schedule pages.

Chelsea’s globally available matchday shows – including early team news, exclusive interviews and analysis – are on the 5th Stand app, Facebook Live and the official YouTube channel.

Concussion subs trial begins

Concerns about player welfare have prompted the Premier League and Women’s Super League to become the first in the world to trial additional concussion substitutes, proposed by IFAB, as of this weekend.

Any head injury to a player will be assessed by medical staff on the pitch and by the club doctor viewing a pitch-side monitor. If potential concussion has occurred, an Additional Permanent Concussion substitution (APCS) can come replace the injured player.

The injured player may not return to the fray, and the opposition team will also be allowed an extra replacement too, at any time and for any reason. The same applies if two players from the same team are diagnosed with the injury.

The three substitutes are usually submitted to officials on white cards, but the cards for APCS will be green. As a result, both sets of coaching staff will now be handed five white cards and two green.

Jorgi bonito

Jorginho’s crucial penalty at Tottenham showed astuteness and nervelessness. It took courage to take responsibility again after missing three times this season in all competitions.

It also revealed a style overhaul, with the skipped, stroked technique used since 2017 (and deployed by Man United’s Bruno Fernandes) dispensed in favour of banging it beyond the goalie’s reach.

The midfielder has now dispatched 11 of his 14 attempts for the Blues (not including shoot-outs), and a lot of them have had added value. Three broke the deadlock in a game and three were equalisers, but this was his first spot-on winner.

Avoiding the trapdoor

Chris Wilder must have grown sick of the phrase ‘second season syndrome’. Yet the newly-promoted club that finished ninth last season, two points shy of Arsenal, are now 11 from safety with around 40 per cent of the campaign remaining.Only four teams have ever accrued fewer points at this stage of a Premier League season than the Blades’ tally of 11, and each finished 20th when it came to the close. The only club in a comparable state to have survived was the West Bromwich in 2004/05 and the Baggies are back in the same boat in 2020/21. In such strange times, though, no one can rule out a team that carved out a win at Old Trafford when the hosts were vying for top slot.

History on the road?

Chelsea at Tottenham was one of seven league fixtures in the latest round of matches where visiting teams took all three points. Eighty-eight of the 215 Premier League games this season have been won by the away side and 79 by the hosts. No campaign in the history of the English top flight has ever been completed with visiting teams having the upper hand.

Premier League fixtures

SaturdayAston Villa v Arsenal 12.30pm (BT Sport)Burnley v Brighton 3pm (Sky Sports)Newcastle v Southampton 3pm (BT Sport)Fulham v West Ham 5.30pm (Sky Sports)Man Utd v Everton 8pm (Sky Sports)

SundayTottenham v West Brom 12pm (BT Sport)Wolves v Leicester 2pm (Sky Sports)Liverpool v Man City 4.30pm (Sky Sports)Sheffield Utd v Chelsea 7.15pm (Sky Sports)

MondayLeeds v Crystal Palace 8pm (Sky Sports)