Sheffield United earn pundits’ praise
Newly promoted Sheffield United outplayed record 20-time English champions Manchester United at Bramall Lane for 70 minutes but had to settle for a 3-3 draw yesterday morning (Singapore time).
The result left the Blades a lofty sixth in the English Premier League and earned Chris Wilder's team praise.
United looked dead and buried after trailing 2-0 at the break, having been completely outplayed as Lys Mousset and John Fleck found the net.
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted that the hosts had dominated his team so thoroughly that he "could have changed every player at half-time, apart from the goalkeeper (David de Gea)".
Then, from seemingly out of nowhere, three goals in seven minutes from Brandon Williams, Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford from the 72nd to 79th minutes appeared to turn the match on its head.
But the battling Blades fought back with Oli McBurnie's stoppage-time leveller.
Former United defender Rio Ferdinand tweeted that Wilder and his team were taking the EPL "by storm".
Ex-Liverpool manager Graeme Souness went one step further, likening the Blades to Barcelona.
He said on Sky Sports: "I think they are a great watch. For 70 minutes, I was really enjoying how they were playing.
"As well as going long at the right times, there were times when they were like Barcelona in tight areas...
"Manchester United did not turn up for a good hour...
"They got bullied and they got outplayed.
"Every part of the game they were playing second fiddle."
Ex-United stalwart Gary Neville, meanwhile, took aim at his former team's engine room.
He said on Sky Sports: "The midfield is a problem for United full stop, let's be clear about it.
"Even with (the absent) Scott McTominay in, it's a problem.
"They haven't strengthened in that area, obviously (Paul) Pogba's injured.
"It's a problem for them and it's just not good enough, the midfield just doesn't have good enough quality... it needs strengthening."
Martin Keown, meanwhile, highlighted Phil Jones' poor performance after the Englishman's inability to deal with a routine ball in the channel led to Mousset's opener. He was hauled off at half-time.
The ex-England defender wrote in his Daily Mail column: "Jones always looked problematic in that back line, then he was at fault for the opening goal.
"Instead of pumping the ball into row Z - like he should have done - he allowed Lys Mousset to take it off him.
"No defender should let that happen or even take the chance.
"Maybe there was a hint of a foul, but Jones needed to be more dominant, more assertive, more clever."
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