Newcastle United's English striker Andy Carroll (C) clears the ball from his own penalty area during the English FA Cup third round football match between Arsenal and Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium in London on January 9, 2021.Newcastle United's English striker Andy Carroll (C) clears the ball from his own penalty area during the English FA Cup third round football match between Arsenal and Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium in London on January 9, 2021.
Newcastle United's English striker Andy Carroll (C) clears the ball from his own penalty area during the English FA Cup third round football match between Arsenal and Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium in London on January 9, 2021.

Liam Kennedy's Newcastle United starting XI for Sheffield United – with two huge first-team decisions

Newcastle United are involved in a proverbial Premier League ‘six-pointer’ this evening when they travel to Bramall Lane to take on top flight basement boys Sheffield United.

No wins from 17 Premier League games, but steadily improving, Chris Wilder's men are actually favourites with the bookmakers to claim their first three points of the top flight season tonight. That quite incredible statistic probably says more about Steve Bruce’s Newcastle than it does abou the Blades.

Here our NUFC writer Liam Kennedy picks his starting XI...