Analysis: These Sheffield United weaknesses should be exploited by Brighton

Brighton go into this game a point off the relegation zone, while Sheffield United sit rock bottom of the table on one point after 13 games.

Let's have a look at what we can expect from the game.

Sheffield United's strengths

Sheffield United have one main strength, aerial duels, according to WhoScored.com.

Brighton on the other hand are very weak at aerial duels, so maybe this is one area Graham Potter has been working on in training this week.

The Blades have the second worst attack in the league - they have only scored seven goals so far this season.

However, three of those seven have come from corners, and as we know, Brighton have been shaky from set-pieces this campaign - conceding 11 goals out of 21 from dead ball situations. So this is probably the biggest threat from Chris Wilder's side.

Sheffield United's weaknesses

According to WhoScored.com, The Blades have many weaknesses. They include:

Finishing scoring chances, very weak

Sheffield United have an xG of around 14 goals this season, but they have only scored seven. This is the biggest under performance of any team in the league this year. Wilder's men have been wasteful in front of goal, the stats suggest.

Brighton are also ranked weak at finishing scoring chances. The Seagulls have scored 15 this season, but the xG stats suggest they should be on about 18. This implies it will be a low-scoring game / a game of missed opportunities.

Defending against long shots, very weak

Six out of 24 (33%) of United's conceded goals have come from outside of the box.

Brighton have scored three out of 15 (20%) of their goals from outside the box, so maybe Yves Bissouma will be looking to get on the scoresheet with a long range effort tomorrow.

Defending against through ball attacks, very weak

A potentially good opportunity for Adam Lallana to carry on finding space in between the lines and threading those balls through to Tariq Lamptey and the Brighton strikers.

Defending against attacks down the wings, weak

This weakness goes hand-in-hand with the one above. Through balls behind the full-backs is Brighton's style of play. Lallana should be licking his lips at finding holes in the United defence with the overlaps of Tariq Lamptey and Solly March to pick out.

Lamptey and March have been the stand out performers for Brighton so far this season, putting in excellent displays while operating as wing-backs. With United weak at defending down the flanks, hopefully we'll see the two Englishmen getting in behind and causing problems for The Blades.

Defending set pieces, very weak

Although United are good in the air, they have conceded six out of 24 (33%) goals from set-pieces.

Brighton have not scored from a set-piece or corner this season, but they did look threatening from them against Fulham - Adam Webster and Lewis Dunk nearly got on the end of a few of Pascal Gross' deliveries.

Defending counter attacks, weak

Brighton are good at soaking up the pressure and limiting their opponent to few shots on goal. If they can do this and then hit Sheffield on the counter, utilising the pace of Danny Welbeck, then we could see some swift counter-attacking moves.

Other thoughts

Formation

Sheffield United have played a 3-5-2 for the most part of the Premier League season, which is also how Potter sets his team up. Like Fulham in midweek, I can see the two sides cancelling each other out by playing the same system, which implies a tight game is on the cards.

It was an encouraging performance against a rejuvenated Fulham in midweek, and I expect Brighton to carry that on into this fixture. The defence and midfield look solid, it's just putting the ball in the back of the net which is the problem.

Prediction: 1-0

Scorer: Welbeck

Follow this writer on Twitter @LoganMacLeod8