I fancy both of these teams to finish in the top half by the end of the season, but there is still work to be done on both sides and lessons to be learned from this season.
At this stage, neither team believes it is a realistic contender for the top six, but neither will admit it. To me, this suggests that both teams are happy to go for the win and play with some sense of abandon. Even if one team goes a goal down, they are likely to open up and try to hit back. It seems like fertile ground for a potential BTTS-Yes bet.
This is only strengthened further when analysing both teams. Norwich drew a blank at Leeds in the FA Cup, but they still created 1.2 xG in that match. In the Championship, they have scored in eight of their last ten, 19 goals in that period. Over the season as a whole, they have created 1.43 xG per match, but also conceded 1.27 xG, so there have been chances at both ends.
It would have been a big disappointment not to convert a 1-0 lead over struggling West Brom on Saturday, but the fact that that match ended 1-1 is further evidence to suggest that Sheff Utd are a good team for a BTTS-Yes bet, That is the third time in four matches that BTTS-Yes has landed for the Blades and their xG data for the season backs this up.
United have created 1.73 xG per match but have also conceded 1.35 xG, so away from home it becomes 1.5 v 1.5. There have been chances, even if they have kept two clean sheets in a row away from home. Norwich have the firepower to convert those chances.
