DeAndre Yedlin: "It's the same as any other game day as far as trying to go out and get three points"

The Magpies face Sheffield United at St. James' Park on Sunday (kick-off 2pm BST) in what will be their first match since football was suspended in March following the coronavirus outbreak. 

Supporters will be unable to watch the games in stadiums - this weekend's match is live on Sky Sports and fans are urged to follow the latest government advice - while there will be protocols for the players and staff to follow, including extra dressing rooms to allow for social distancing, temperature checks on arrival and regular disinfecting of equipment like balls and corner flags. 

But Yedlin is looking forward to getting back to action, with nine more league games to play as well as a mouthwatering Emirates FA Cup quarter-final clash with Manchester City.

"The whole squad's feeling good - everybody's ready to get back out there," said the USA international defender. "It's been a long time away so it'll be interesting, because we haven't had a ton of time to prepare, but you just make the best out of the circumstances. So everybody's ready, everybody's excited.

"Honestly, I don't really know what to expect - obviously we haven't done this before - but at the end of the day it's the same as any other game day as far as trying to go out and get three points. That's the focus.

"I'm sure there'll be a bit of distraction at first, just because it's kind of a new feeling with nobody in the stadium and things like that, but I feel like our preparation has been good. We've played a couple of games in the stadium, so we know what the atmosphere without the fans is going to be like. I think we're as prepared as we can be, so we're all excited."

As well as a training ground friendly against Middlesbrough, United have played an inter-squad game and a warm-up match against Hull at the stadium this month and although there will be more of a competitive edge when the league games resume, Yedlin knows that the lack of atmosphere will take some getting used to - particularly at a stadium where the supporters are famed for their noise and passion.

The 26-year-old explained: "It's very odd, being able to hear everybody shouting and all the echoes from the players on the field. It's a hard feeling, it feels a lot like a training game, but it's what we've got to deal with and the other team has to deal with it as well so we're not worried about that. We've just got to go out and do the job. 

"I think the mental battle in pretty much every game, whether we're going through this pandemic or not, is as important as the physical battle. There's times where it's hard to find motivation in the game without the roar of the crowd or the crowd pushing you on, sometimes it's a bit tough, but that's where it comes down to the mental part of it, how focused you can be and how locked in you can be for the 90 minutes."

Sheffield United have enjoyed an excellent first season back in the Premier League after winning promotion last term, and retain genuine aspirations of securing European football for the 2020/21 campaign, but Steve Bruce's men were 2-0 winners when the two sides met at Bramall Lane in December.

"We had a good game against them last time we played but we know they're a dangerous team, as they've showed the whole season, so they're definitely not an opponent we're taking lightly," said Yedlin. "We know we've got to be on top of our game and be ready to get three points."

On Sunday, United will - like all Premier League teams - show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement. The players all 'took a knee' before a training session earlier this month and will wear the message on their shirts, and Seattle-born Yedlin has long been a passionate campaigner against racism. 

"It's something that I think unfortunately has become a bit normal so sometimes when you experience racism you don't think anything of it, just because it sort of becomes a part of every day life, and normal, which is quite sad," he opined.

"But I'm glad that people are speaking up about it now and I think it's important that everybody listens to the people that are speaking. It's not always easy to understand - I don't think anybody who is not an African American can understand what it's like to be in an African American's shoes in America, I don't think they can fully understand, but you can be willing to understand and just have your ears open and be willing to listen and see if you can do anything to help make a change.

"You see the stuff in England as well, and people are speaking out about racism here. I don't know a ton about it because I wasn't raised here and haven't been here for a long time, but I think it's good that all of that is spoken about and gets brought to light."