Mee’s the man as Blades lack cutting edge
CHRIS WILDER wanted this game to go ahead despite the news of positive coronavirus tests yet Sheffield United solemnly headed back over the Pennines as expected. Another defeat and they now lie a daunting 14 points behind Burnley.
These are two clubs going in different directions. Burnley are days away from a takeover, with prospective new owner Alan Pace’s ALK Capital group ready to rubber- stamp their deal in time for a January spend. The Clarets are beginning to find regular performances now, even with a stretched squad, and should kick on under Sean Dyche and with a new broom.
United, on the other hand, are marooned. Rock bottom, the first top-flight team in 118 years nott to have recorded at least one win by y New Year’s Day y and their task looks near impossible. That statistic is somewhat skewed by this term’s delayed start but one that cannot be e is that they possess ss the joint-worst start tart to a season, off any division, in history.ry. They are galling numbers.
Wilder had two players test positive for Covid earlier in the day, another going for further examination, and with ‘four or five’ of his backroom staff also self-isolating. Yet with a bench of just seven — and without Billy Sharp, Oli McBurnie and Phil Jagielka — they ploughed on. ‘We notified the relevant authorities that we have had a situation at the club but I want to play, that’s how it is,’ said Wilder. ‘We were not looking to get anything canned.
‘We struggled to find that space and that pass that would get us back in the game. Again, not showing that quality that decides the game.’
The Blades were actually fairly good for much of the evening. Rhian Brewster might have nudged them ahead when beating Nick Pope to a near-post corner — Josh Brownhill’s shoulder saving the effort on the line — but despite encouraging signs, they missed three big chances before the break.
Burnley had chances, too, with Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes going close, or rather Aaron Ramsdale thwarted the pair bravely. But Ben Mee was not to be denied his first goal at Turf Moor since 2015. He wrestled free of Ethan Ampadu to steer a header past Ramsdale from a simple routine corner on 32 minutes.
This is effectively Wilder’s problem. Another narrow reverse, with 11 of their 14 defeats coming by the one goal. Small margins and all that, coming second best in the keyy moments. ‘We werwere outstanding,’ said DDyche. ‘ We knew it wowould be a tight gamgame. They are figfighting and put us uunder pressure.’
United were threatening to force a way back into the game, attempting to ssecure only a third point of a wretched term, bubut just cannot scorscore, having netted just eighteig all year. And a sosolid Burnley saw the night out with ease. Outgoing chairman Mike Garlick’s programme notes said ‘out with the old, in with the new’ — someone cheeky possibly pointing towards board-level movement — but Dyche has no reason to alter his tried and trusted method of engineering wins like this.
‘We’re getting back to where we want to be,’ said Mee. ‘ We are tough to beat. That will get us back up the table.’
BURNLEY (4-4-2): Pope 6; Lowton 6.5, Tarkowski 7.5, MEE 8, Taylor 6 (Benson 9min, 6.5); Brady 7, Brownhill 7.5, Westwood 7, Pieters 6.5; Wood 7, Barnes 7 (Stephens 79). Subs not used: Peacock-Farrell, Norris, Bardsley, Dunne, Long, Mancini, Mumbongo. Scorer: Mee 32. Booked: Lowton. Manager: Sean Dyche 7. SHEFFIELD UNITED (3-4-3): Ramsdale 7.5; Basham 6, Egan 6.5, Robinson 6 (Fleck 57, 6.5); Baldock 6, Ampadu 5 (Norwood 67, 6), Osborn 6, Stevens 6; McGoldrick 6.5, Mousset 5.5 (Burke 63, 6), Brewster 7. Subs not used: Verrips, Bogle, Bryan, Lowe. Booked: Stevens, Burke. Manager: Chris Wilder 6. Referee: Chris Kavanagh 6.