Sheffield United player's Sunderland reveal ahead of Newcastle United embarrassment | OneFootball

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Sheffield United defender Chris Basham’s pre-match message from this weekend has gone viral.

The Blades lost 8-0 to Newcastle United on Sunday evening, piling on the early season misery at Bramall Lane.

Basham wrote in the club’s pre-match programme about how important the game against the Magpies was for him.

The centre back grew up a Sunderland supporter, so would be keen to get a positive result against the Black Cats’ biggest rivals.

So Sunday proved a day to forget for the avid Sunderland fan, as eight different scorers broke a Premier League record as the most unique scoresheet in the history of the division.

What did Chris Basham write ahead of Sheffield United’s loss to Newcastle United?

Basham wrote that this game was extra important to him due to his Sunderland connections.

While it was an important game for Sheffield United anyway, due to their poor early season form, the 35-year-old was keen to earn some bragging rights over Sunderland’s biggest rivals.

“It is a game with added significance for me in all honesty, there will be a lot of people in the away end I know, but as a Sunderland fan I always want to get one over them,” wrote Basham, via Jordan Cronin on Twitter.

Sheffield United are currently bottom of the Premier League table on goal difference, with Luton Town and Burnley also in the relegation zone.

The Blades will need to turn their form around soon, or risk getting stuck in the bottom three.

Paul Heckingbottom’s position as manager is likely under threat, with the Yorkshire club struggling for results.

Can Sunderland earn promotion to the Premier League this season?

But Sunderland will be hoping that they can earn promotion to the Premier League themselves so they can get back to competing against their rivals.

The Black Cats have been outside of the top flight since 2017, suffering back-to-back relegations to drop into League One.

Tony Mowbray’s side are currently fifth in the Championship table after eight games, sitting eight points adrift of the automatic promotion places.

Newcastle have enjoyed an uprise in form in the last couple of years, qualifying for the Champions League with a fourth place finish last season.

Sunderland have been unable to compete anywhere near Newcastle’s level for multiple years, but the club is on an upwards trajectory in its own right.

Defeat at the weekend to Cardiff City was a setback, but Mowbray’s side are aiming to contend for another top six finish this campaign in their bid for promotion.

Can Sunderland compete with Newcastle United in the near future?

Sunderland lack the resources at Newcastle’s disposal, which makes it an unfair fight with their biggest rivals.

But Sunderland have been smartly run in the last couple of years, and other clubs have shown that it is possible to punch above your weight in the Premier League.

Promotion this season would be a great achievement for this young side, especially given how difficult the summer transfer window proved for the club.

It would also be a great achievement for Mowbray, who has not managed in the top flight for more than a decade.