Mark Lawrenson brands Sheffield United 'really competitive' & makes West Ham score prediction

Sheffield United will resume their efforts to haul themselves out of the relegation zone this weekend, when they take on David Moyes' West Ham United at the London Stadium.
Sheffield United's English-born Scottish striker Oli McBurnie (L) and West Ham United's Czech midfielder Tomas Soucek (R) go up for a header during the English Premier League football match between Sheffield United and West Ham United at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, northern England on November 22, 2020. (Photo by MIKE EGERTON / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /  (Photo by MIKE EGERTON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Sheffield United's English-born Scottish striker Oli McBurnie (L) and West Ham United's Czech midfielder Tomas Soucek (R) go up for a header during the English Premier League football match between Sheffield United and West Ham United at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, northern England on November 22, 2020. (Photo by MIKE EGERTON / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /  (Photo by MIKE EGERTON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Sheffield United's English-born Scottish striker Oli McBurnie (L) and West Ham United's Czech midfielder Tomas Soucek (R) go up for a header during the English Premier League football match between Sheffield United and West Ham United at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, northern England on November 22, 2020. (Photo by MIKE EGERTON / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by MIKE EGERTON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Writing his weekly predictions column for BBC Sport, pundit and broadcaster Mark Lawrenson backed the hosts to claim a comfortable 2-0 win.

Expanding on his pick, Lawro said: "Sheffield United keep winning in the FA Cup and they have been really competitive in the Premier League even when they've lost - against Manchester City and Chelsea recently, when they went down by a single goal each time.

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"The Blades will put up a fight this time too, I'm sure, but West Ham are in the top six for a reason. The Hammers look confident at the moment and, if they play like they can do, they will win."

Meanwhile, Lawro's opponent for the week, singer-songwriter Mike Rosenberg aka Passenger, went for 3-1 West Ham win.

The last time the two sides met, back in November, Sebastian Haller's second-half goal saw the east London outfit secure a 1-0 victory at Bramall Lane.

Discussing the encounter with the Star, Blades defender Max Lowe claimed: "When we played them earlier, it was a tight game, there was nothing in it really. The confidence is there with us now so we’re looking at it thinking ‘why can’t we win?’

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"They’re doing really well this season and they’ve got some stand out players going forward. They’re creative and they’ll be backing themselves to score so, as a defender and as a team, we know we’ll have to be right on our game."