# 2019–20 Sheffield United F.C. season

The 2019–20 season was Sheffield United's 131st season in their history and the first season back in the Premier League since the 2006–07 season after gaining promotion for finishing in the second place in the EFL Championship last season. Along with the Premier League, the club also competed in the FA Cup and EFL Cup. The season covered the period from 1 July 2019 to 26 July 2020.
The season was widely considered one of the best in the history of Sheffield United after finishing 9th and defying all the odds. Before the start of the season, the Blades were tipped to be relegated by most critics and pundits in the Premier League community. Manager Chris Wilder's 5-3-2 'overlapping centre-backs' was praised by many after it dragged a group of relatively below standard players to a top half Premier League finish.

## Kits

| Home | Home alt. | Away | Away alt.1 | Away alt.2 | Away alt.3 | Third | Third alt. |

## Squad
### Appearances and goals

    As of 20 July 2020
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Premier League | Premier League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||||
| 1 | GK | ENG | Dean Henderson | 40 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | GK | NED | Michael Verrips | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | GK | ENG | Simon Moore | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Defenders ||||||||||||
| 2 | DF | ENG | George Baldock | 40 | 2 | 38 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | IRL | Enda Stevens | 40 | 2 | 38 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Jack O'Connell | 35 | 0 | 32+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Chris Basham | 42 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | IRL | John Egan | 38 | 2 | 36 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | ENG | Phil Jagielka | 11 | 0 | 2+5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 18 | DF | WAL | Kieron Freeman | 7 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | ENG | Jack Robinson | 9 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | DF | ENG | Jack Rodwell | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | GRE | Panagiotis Retsos | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielders ||||||||||||
| 4 | MF | SCO | John Fleck | 32 | 5 | 28+2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | ENG | John Lundstram | 35 | 5 | 25+8 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Luke Freeman | 16 | 0 | 3+8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | NIR | Oliver Norwood | 41 | 3 | 37+1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 23 | MF | ENG | Ben Osborn | 18 | 0 | 6+7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | BIH | Muhamed Bešić | 13 | 1 | 2+7 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 32 | MF | NOR | Sander Berge | 16 | 1 | 12+2 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forwards ||||||||||||
| 9 | FW | SCO | Oli McBurnie | 40 | 6 | 24+12 | 6 | 1+1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Billy Sharp | 29 | 4 | 10+15 | 3 | 1+2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 17 | FW | IRL | David McGoldrick | 30 | 4 | 23+5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | FW | FRA | Lys Mousset | 33 | 6 | 9+21 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 24 | FW | ENG | Leon Clarke | 5 | 1 | 0+2 | 0 | 1+1 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 30 | FW | NED | Richairo Zivkovic | 5 | 0 | 0+5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| Player(s) out on loan: ||||||||||||
| 11 | FW | IRL | Callum Robinson | 20 | 2 | 9+8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | ENG | Kean Bryan | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | ENG | Ravel Morrison | 4 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Players who left the club: ||||||||||||
| 19 | DF | ENG | Richard Stearman | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |

#### Goals

    As of 11 August 2020
| Rank | No. | Nat. | Po. | Name | Premier League | League Cup | FA Cup | Total |
| 1 | 9 | | CF | Oli McBurnie | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1 | 22 | | CF | Lys Mousset | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 3 | 4 | | MF | John Fleck | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 3 | 7 | | MF | John Lundstram | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 5 | 10 | | CF | Billy Sharp | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 5 | 17 | | CF | David McGoldrick | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 7 | 16 | | CM | Oliver Norwood | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 8 | 2 | | DF | George Baldock | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | 3 | | DF | Enda Stevens | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | 12 | | DF | John Egan | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | 11 | | CF | Callum Robinson | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 12 | 32 | | CM | Sander Berge | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | 24 | | CF | Leon Clarke | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 12 | 27 | | CM | Muhamed Bešić | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 12 | 19 | | DF | Richard Stearman | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Own Goals | Own Goals | Own Goals | Own Goals | Own Goals | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 39 | 2 | 7 | 48 |

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date | Position | Name | From | Fee |
| 1 July 2019 | GK | Christopher Farrugia | Floriana | Undisclosed |
| 3 July 2019 | AM | Luke Freeman | Queens Park Rangers | £5,000,000 |
| 4 July 2019 | CB | Phil Jagielka | Everton | Free transfer |
| 8 July 2019 | DF | Ashton Hall | Matlock Town | Undisclosed |
| 12 July 2019 | LW | Callum Robinson | Preston North End | Undisclosed |
| 16 July 2019 | AM | Ravel Morrison | Östersund | Free transfer |
| 21 July 2019 | CF | Lys Mousset | AFC Bournemouth | £10,000,000 |
| 26 July 2019 | LM | Ben Osborn | Nottingham Forest | Undisclosed |
| 2 August 2019 | CF | Oli McBurnie | Swansea City | £20,000,000 |
| 8 August 2019 | GK | Michael Verrips | Mechelen | Free transfer |
| 3 January 2020 | DM | Jack Rodwell | Blackburn Rovers | Free transfer |
| 13 January 2020 | DF | Kamarl Grant | Croydon | Undisclosed |
| 13 January 2020 | MF | Connor Leak-Blunt | Leeds United | Free transfer |
| 21 January 2020 | LB | Jack Robinson | Nottingham Forest | Undisclosed |
| 30 January 2020 | DM | Sander Berge | Genk | £22,000,000 |

### Loans in

| Date from | Position | Name | From | Date until |
| 26 July 2019 | GK | Dean Henderson | Manchester United | 30 June 2020 |
| 8 August 2019 | DM | Muhamed Bešić | Everton | 30 June 2020 |
| 31 January 2020 | CF | Richairo Zivkovic | Changchun Yatai | 30 June 2020 |
| 31 January 2020 | DF | Panagiotis Retsos | Bayer Leverkusen | 30 June 2020 |

### Loans out

| Date from | Position | Name | To | Date until |
| 1 July 2019 | MF | Oliver Greaves | Barrow | 30 June 2020 |
| 1 July 2019 | LW | Nathan Thomas | Gillingham | 24 July 2019 |
| 2 July 2019 | LB | Rhys Norrington-Davies | Rochdale | 30 June 2020 |
| 5 July 2019 | GK | Jake Eastwood | Scunthorpe United | 30 June 2020 |
| 10 July 2019 | ST | Tyler Smith | Bristol Rovers | 15 January 2020 |
| 24 July 2019 | LW | Nathan Thomas | Carlisle United | 30 June 2020 |
| 27 July 2019 | MF | Regan Slater | Scunthorpe United | 30 June 2020 |
| 5 August 2019 | CB | Sam Graham | Notts County | 30 June 2020 |
| 8 August 2019 | RM | Mark Duffy | Stoke City | 30 June 2020 |
| 23 August 2019 | CB | Ben Heneghan | Blackpool | 30 June 2020 |
| 2 September 2019 | CB | Jake Wright | Bolton Wanderers | 5 January 2020 |
| 11 September 2019 | GK | Marcus Dewhurst | Guiseley | 31 January 2020 |
| 10 January 2020 | LM | Stephen Mallon | Derry City | 30 June 2020 |
| 11 January 2020 | MF | Harry Sheppeard | Guiseley | 30 June 2020 |
| 15 January 2020 | CF | Tyler Smith | Rochdale | 30 June 2020 |
| 24 January 2020 | AM | Iliman Ndiaye | Hyde United | 30 June 2020 |
| 28 January 2020 | CF | David Parkhouse | Stevenage | 30 June 2020 |
| 29 January 2020 | LW | Callum Robinson | West Bromwich Albion | 30 June 2020 |
| 30 January 2020 | CB | Kean Bryan | Bolton Wanderers | 30 June 2020 |
| 31 January 2020 | GK | Marcus Dewhurst | Carlisle United | 30 June 2020 |
| 31 January 2020 | AM | Ravel Morrison | Middlesbrough | 30 June 2020 |

### Transfers out

| Date | Position | Name | To | Fee |
| 1 July 2019 | CM | Paul Coutts | Fleetwood Town | Released |
| 1 July 2019 | CB | Martin Cranie | Luton Town | Released |
| 1 July 2019 | LB | Daniel Lafferty | Shamrock Rovers | Released |
| 1 July 2019 | CF | Caolan Lavery | Walsall | Released |
| 1 July 2019 | CF | Conor Washington | Heart of Midlothian | Released |
| 6 August 2019 | CF | Ched Evans | Fleetwood Town | Undisclosed |
| 29 August 2019 | CM | Samir Carruthers | Cambridge United | Mutual consent |
| 11 October 2019 | RB | Jake Bennett | Alfreton Town | Free transfer |
| 10 January 2020 | CB | Richard Stearman | Huddersfield Town | Free transfer |
| 24 January 2020 | CB | Jordan Doherty | Tampa Bay Rowdies | Free transfer |
| 31 January 2020 | CB | Jake Wright | Free agent | Mutual consent |

## Pre-season

The Blades announced their pre-season schedule in June 2019.

## Competitions
### Premier League
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 7 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 38 | 15 | 14 | 9 | 51 | 40 | +11 | 59 | |
| 8 | Arsenal | 38 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 56 | 48 | +8 | 56 | Qualification for the Europa League group stage |
| 9 | Sheffield United | 38 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 39 | 39 | 0 | 54 | |
| 10 | Burnley | 38 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 43 | 50 | −7 | 54 | |
| 11 | Southampton | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 51 | 60 | −9 | 52 | |
* ↑ Arsenal qualified for the Europa League group stage as the 2019–20 FA Cup winners.

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 26 July 2020. Source:

#### Results by matchday

| Matchday | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
| Ground | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | H | A | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A |
| Result | D | W | L | D | L | W | L | D | W | D | W | D | D | D | L | W | W | W | D | L | L | W | D | L | W | W | D | W | D | L | L | W | D | W | W | L | L | L |
| Position | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 15 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 |

#### Matches

On 13 June 2019, the Premier League fixtures were announced.

### FA Cup

The third round draw was made live on BBC Two from Etihad Stadium, Micah Richards and Tony Adams conducted the draw. The fourth round draw was made by Alex Scott and David O'Leary on Monday, 6 January. The draw for the fifth round was made on 27 January 2020, live on The One Show.

### EFL Cup

The second round draw was made on 13 August 2019 following the conclusion of all but one first-round matches. The third round draw was confirmed on 28 August 2019, live on Sky Sports.