Sheffield United relishing Liverpool test as Oli McBurnie lays down "worst in history" challenge

Sheffield United are relishing, rather than fearing, the test of facing title-chasing Liverpool on Thursday, striker Oli McBurnie has suggested, after challenging his teammates to prove those who claim his side are the worst in Premier League history how wrong they are. The Blades travel to Anfield on Thursday night before hosting Chelsea at Bramall Lane four days later.

The Blades make the trip on the back of two points in their last two games which could easily have been six, which would have transformed the relegation picture completely but for the concession of injury-time equalisers at Bournemouth and Fulham. But the manner of their performances in those games has increased confidence around Bramall Lane after results of late - including shipping five or more goals in four successive home games - had seen them widely ridiculed.

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Liverpool will be in no mood to show any mercy as they chase an emotional league title win in Jurgen Klopp's final season in charge, and seized the advantage over the weekend after rivals Manchester City and Arsenal drew at the Etihad. But McBurnie, who scored one and had another goal ruled out by VAR before dedicating his performance to his younger brother Xander amid his battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma at the age of just 26, insisted that the test should be embraced rather than feared.

"It doesn't get any easier, but it's what we live for," the striker told SUTV. "It's why we're in the best league in the world. It's why we worked so hard last year. We could've chucked it all them times when people thought we were going to chuck it, stayed in the Championship and have an easy life. We don't want to do that, we want to play against the best teams in the world.

"Everything going on has kind of made me enjoy it again, and have that enjoyment of going into these battles. What is there to fear? There's no pressure, so go and enjoy playing at these big stadiums and upset a few people. Everyone thinks we're the worst team in Premier League history, so go and show we're not that."