From the Championship to the Champions League in a little over a year? Sheffield United would have been escorted off the premises if they had trumpeted that as an ambition before the start of this season but the Premier League table shows that Chris Wilder’s team are redefining what is reasonable. They will go into Christmas within touching distance of the top four thanks to their third league win in a row.
Wilder still says it is “ludicrous” to talk about European qualification but he can take satisfaction from knowing they deserve to be where they are. “It’s certainly been good going for a team that was written off to be down by Christmas,” he said.
United have been particularly formidable on their travels. This win equalled the record that Burnley set in 1947-48 for the longest unbeaten away run from the start of a season by a promoted team in the top flight. Graham Potter was in charge of the last team to win at home to Wilder’s side in the league – at Swansea 11 months ago in the Championship – but his Brighton side never looked like replicating that feat here.
Swansea’s scorer in January was Oli McBurnie and now, following his £20m summer transfer, he is doing the business for the Blades. His goal here was his third since his move and it rewarded another accomplished performance by the visitors.
Brighton, generally so effervescent since Potter’s arrival, seemed nonplussed by their superbly coached opponents, who somehow seemed to outnumber them in every area.
As intricate as Wilder’s team can be, the breakthrough goal was down to good old-fashioned barnstorming by McBurnie. After beating the centre-back Adam Webster to a punt down field by goalkeeper Dean Henderson, the striker headed the ball on for himself to chase and then held off the other centre-back, Lewis Dunk, before firing a low shot in via a post.
“I had a bit of a hunch that it would be a good day for Oli,” said Wilder. “I looked at his work away from the bright lights, from Monday to Friday, and I just felt it was the right time against his old manager and given the way they set up.”
United were unlucky not to be in front before that, John Egan having a goal ruled out by VAR for an unfortunate handball. For Brighton, Neal Maupay had a goal chalked off for an offside by Martín Montoya after Henderson saved a shot by Aaron Mooy. It was Brighton’s only notable shot in the first period.
United did not exactly bombard the home goal but they controlled most of the play even when they did not have the ball. Brighton barely seemed to know what to do with possession when they had it, so effectively did Wilder’s team deny them space. It all proved quite frazzling for the hosts.
Webster looked particularly discombobulated so it was no surprise when he made a mistake in the 48th minute, leaving a back-pass short under pressure from David McGoldrick. What was shocking, however, was that McGoldrick did not take advantage: instead, after skipping around Mat Ryan, the striker missed an open goal, shooting into the side-netting from the corner of the six-yard box. This was yet another game in which McGoldrick performed splendidly overall but could not locate the inside of the net. His wait for a Premier League goal goes on.
United had another goal ruled out by VAR after Ryan fumbled a header by Egan and Jack O’Connell prodded into the net from an offside position.
Brighton came on strong in the last 25 minutes but never really looked like shaking United out of their solidity. Yves Bissouma summed up Brighton’s exasperation by getting booked for throwing himself to the ground in the penalty area. “Congratulations to Sheffield United, they deserved to win,” said Potter. “They do what they do very well.”
