Burnley, Sheffield United, Luton, and Bournemouth face challenges in the midst of a concerning sign

The Blades are at the basement of the Premier League, while Burnley and Luton, two more recent arrivals, are also having a difficult time in their early seasons.

When Premier League football returns after the second international break, the three recently promoted teams make up the bottom four, and the early indicators are not good for Sheffield United and Paul Heckingbottom. United was at the bottom with just one point at the end of the 2020–21 season after eight games, which resulted in relegation.

Burnley, who finished the previous season in 17th place, Fulham, West Brom, and the Blades were all in the bottom four at this point. West Brom joined the Blades in the Championship the following season.

As it stands, Sheffield United, Luton, Burnley and Bournemouth make up the bottom four and history shows it will be a long season if wins don’t come soon enough.

The goal differential separates United’s start to this season from their start to the previous one. United was within striking distance of the teams surrounding them, trailing fourth-bottom Fulham by three points and two goals. They had conceded 14 goals this season as opposed to the 22 they had allowed.

This time, United has work to do as the -16 is seven goals behind 17th-place Luton. In their 24 games together, the three promoted teams have only won two. In a meeting between the two, Burnley came away from Kenilworth Road with all three points.

The last time the three teams that moved up and down simultaneously occurred in the 1997–1998 season. Heckingbottom and his colleagues at the bottom most likely used the break to consider whether they should continue using the same strategy that helped them advance or if they should adopt a new one.

In the Championship, Heckingbottom and Vincent Kompany in particular were renowned for their aggressive and wide front-foot play, but life in the top level is proving to be more challenging. Not only do United’s 22 goals conceded rank lowest in the division, but Burnley, with 20, is not far behind.

According to premierleague.com, United also has the lowest xG (6.1) of any Premier League team at the top end of the field, while they also have the greatest xGA (19.6) at the opposite end. These are two worrying statistics for a team trying to avoid relegation. That leaves Heckingbottom to respond to the million-dollar query. How does his injury-plagued team become more formidable opponents while generating more opportunities on the other end? Finding the answer is a challenge few managers would be excited to undertake.

Particularly since seven members of Heckingbottom’s upgraded club left or were sold in the summer, erasing the team’s identity. It is by no means simple to have to begin at the very top. Many parallels have already been drawn between this season and their previous one in the Premier League, with an injury issue further complicating team selection.

Sheffield United’s victory over Manchester United at Bramall Lane would be a huge boost to morale and confidence. The last time, it took 18 games to record a victory, and by then, it was too late. In order to prevent falling behind once more, Heckingbottom and his team will need to put on their skates as quickly as possible.