Gallagher strikes as WBA down Blades
CONOR GALLAGHER’S first-half strike saw West Brom gain their first Premier League win of the season and left Sheffield United rooted to the bottom of the table still searching for theirs.
Both Slaven Bilic and Chris Wilder would have circled this fixture as an opportunity to finally kick-start their campaigns, and it was Baggies boss Bilic who was celebrating after Gallagher’s 13thminute goal was enough for a 1-0 victory.
“It’s a massively important win… it was very important – crucial – for both teams to win the game. That’s why we saw quite an open game with nearly 40 shots and many chances,” Bilic told Sky Sports.
“We’re delighted that we won the game. We showed the quality and showed character. We had chances to go two up and make it a little easier for us. I told the guys that now we have to rest, build on this and continue to improve.
“The guys are reading the papers. Everybody’s asking when are you going to get your first win. That’s why it was incredibly important for us to go over that block.
“I see this as more than three points, because it’s our first win. Second, we’ve done it against a team who is down there with us. It’s a great boost for our confidence and for the games that are coming.”
In truth, though, the Blades created enough clear-cut chances to win the game comfortably and their manager Wilder was left wondering how his team finished empty-handed once more.
“If you don’t take your chances and don’t show that quality in and around the box or the penalty area, you’re not going to win games of football,” the Sheffield manager told BBC Sport.
“We’ve got nobody to blame but ourselves. I saw it, all the players will have seen it and felt it. I don’t think it’s a difficult one to discuss for pundits or anyone interested in football.
“We need players to show composure in the final third. It’s the top League in the world, or definitely in Europe, so regardless of whether you’re playing Liverpool, Chelsea or anyone else in the division you have to put your chances to bed.
“Yet again, we’re talking about missed opportunities. It’s not going to affect our position if we keep shooting ourselves in the foot like we have tonight.” – The Independent/Agencies