Had Sheffield United continued their 4-match run and won their fifth game on-the-trot away to Swansea City on the weekend, they would now be in second place in the Championship table just one point behind leaders, Leeds United. But it was not to be and having suffered a 1-0 defeat, they had to settle for third position, and since West Brom won their game in hand, they are now down to fourth.
The Blades started off the game well enough but unfortunately squandered chances in the first half that should have seen them go in at half time 2-0 up. Billy Sharp missed the easiest chance to score when he could only manage a rather lame effort from just two yards out. A better contact would have seen the ball in the back of the net.
The other chance that Sheffield had to take the lead was not admittedly as good a chance as Sharp’s was, but had the in form forward David McGoldrick, to whom the chance fell, got his header on target, he might well have scored. Instead, he only glanced his header, sending it wide of the goal.
The fact that United had failed to capitalise on their opportunities gave City hope, and they started the second half in determined fashion. McBurnie, who gave the Blades defence problems with his intelligent positioning and running, caused problems and he was rewarded with a simple tap-in the 65th minute.
Had it not been for the heroics of Sheffield’s keeper, Dean Henderson, who thankfully cannot be recalled by Man United, Swansea would have increased the margin, but as it was, that single City goal and the Blades’ lack of finishing prowess in the first half proved their undoing.
Sheffield United’s manager, Chris Wilder summed it up when he said that City’s one bit of quality play, came from a one-two, and a good pass – something that United didn’t do just once, but many times – told the tale. Instead, the manager was forced to make changes for the second half in order to play catch-up when he might otherwise have been making changes to consolidate a lead that never came.
One of the substitutions that Wilder made was to take Mark Duffy off in the 66th minute. The 33-year-old has played 26 of United’s 28 league games but has only completed two. Duffy was obviously feeling the pinch when he tweeted after the game that he thought fans were doubting his fitness; something he said that he thought was a slur of his professionalism.
The Blades could perhaps have done with the presence of Tyler Smith, the youngster who is currently on loan to Doncaster Rovers. The 20-year-old scored twice in his debut match for Rovers against Burton Albion on Saturday and is being hailed by their manager as a star in the making.
Smith is a product of the Blades’ Academy. He recently completed a spell on loan at AFC Barrow where he became the National League side’s leading goal-scorer with 11 goals from 24 appearances.
Given United’s disappointing result on Saturday, Wilder might well have been wiser to hold on to the youngster rather than loaning him out again. If he been available to come on as the substitute for Duffy, who knows? The result could well have been different and long term it might have improved their chances of gaining promotion into the Premiership at the end of the season.