SHEFF’ UTD...
“The position we are in and the points tally we have is completely unacceptable.
“From a technical point of view. From a tactical point of view we need to work on our deficiencies defensively, very very much so.
“We need players to be available because physically we’ve not had a healthy enough group and physically go the distance in games. Teams run over the top of us late on.
“The biggest thing is the mentality of the football club and what it means to be a Sheffield United player, which I believe I recognise.
“It needs work, it needs a lot of time, it needs a plan, some big decisions.
“Players that possibly won’t be here through sales players that might attract interest from other clubs.
“Player coming to the end of the cycle at the football club who have been outstanding servants.
“We need to freshen it up and I’m as keen and committed and I have as big a desire as I’ve ever had to be front and centre of that with my coaches.”
A glimmer of hope is offered by rookie midfielder Ollie Arblaster who was excellent before the collapse, racking up a 13-1 aggregate season defeat to the Magpies. NEWCASTLE (4-3-3): Dubravka 6; Livramento 7, Schar 5 (Krafth 45, 7), Burn 6, Hall 6 (A Murphy 81); Longstaff 7, Guimaraes 7, Anderson 6 (Wilson 66, 7); J Murphy 7 (Barnes 66, 6),
Isak 9, Gordon 7 (Ritchie 81) Subs: Karius, Dummett, White, Parkinson
SHEFFIELD UNITED (3-5-2): Foderingham 4; Holgate 4 (Robinson 67, 5), Ahmedhodzic 7, Trusty 5; Bogle 6, Hamer 7 (Slimane 79), Arblaster 8, Brooks 6 (Souza 70,6), Osborn 4; Archer 5 (Osula 67, 5), Brereton Diaz 6. Subs:
Grbic, Norwood, Larouci, Curtis, Marsh
Ederson ............................................. 6 Walker ................................................ 7 Akanji ................................................. 7 Ake ..................................................... 7 Gvardiol ............................................. 7 Rodri .................................................. 7 Doku .................................................. 6 Silva ................................................... 7 De Bruyne ......................................... 7 Grealish ............................................. 6 Alvarez .............................................. 7
Ortega (Ederson 46) .......................... 6 Kovacic (Doku 46) .............................. 6 Haaland (Grealish 61) ......................... 7 Bobb (Alvarez 85)
Nunes (De Bruyne 89)
CHRIS WOOD
33% POSSESSION 67% 11 SHOTS 7 2 ON TARGET 5 345 PASSES 726 4 CORNERS 5 2 OFFSIDE 1 8 FOULS 6 0 YELLOWS 0 0 REDS 0 REF: SIMON HOOPER
P W D L F A Pts Arsenal 35 25 5 5 85 28 80 Man City 34 24 7 3 82 32 79 Liverpool 35 22 9 4 77 36 75 Aston Villa 35 20 7 8 73 52 67 Tottenham 33 18 6 9 67 52 60 Man Utd 34 16 6 12 52 51 54 Newcastle 34 16 5 13 74 55 53 West Ham 35 13 10 12 56 65 49 Chelsea 33 13 9 11 63 59 48 Bournemouth 35 13 9 13 52 60 48 Wolves 35 13 7 15 48 55 46 Brighton 34 11 11 12 52 57 44 Fulham 35 12 7 16 51 55 43 C Palace 35 10 10 15 45 57 40 Everton 35 12 8 15 37 48 36 Brentford 35 9 8 18 52 60 35 Nottm Forest 35 7 9 19 42 62 26 Luton 35 6 7 22 48 77 25 Burnley 35 5 9 21 38 70 24 Sheff Utd 35 3 7 25 34 97 16