PASCAL TO TAKE CUE FROM KEV TASTY MOUSS
Blades belief has striker buzzing
LYS MOUSSET has found his shooting boots and is ready to fire Sheffield United into Europe.
The Blades are bang on course for a Europa League place after confounding the critics who dismissed them as relegation certs. And Mousset is leading the charge.
The 23-year-old French striker took time to settle following his £10m summer switch from Bournemouth.
But he has come good with five goals in 14 games, as many as he notched in 71 games over three seasons for the Cherries.
He puts the turnaround down to the belief shown in him by Blades boss Chris Wilder (right), and his flourishing partnership on the pitch with David McGoldrick, who has yet to score himself.
Mousset said: “When I first came here I was not fit enough to play, but the manager showed patience with me and gave me support. He is different and he handles players in a good way. He has given me a lot of confidence and a lot of chances to play.
“And the way me and David work together is very good. I am up the pitch and he’s more in the middle to make the play. We really enjoy it.
“The team and manager are very good, and I really like it here. It’s different to where I have been before and we are a really together group.
“I believe anything is possible for us. We can achieve a very good season and everyone is enjoying it.
“It’s a very good feeling to win and draw like we are doing, and we are going to try to carry on picking up many points. I do set a goals target for the season, but I keep that to myself. Let’s just say I’m trying to do more.”
The seventh-placed Blades are unbeaten on the road this season and are looking to continue that run at Brighton.
But Wilder said: “It’s going to be difficult to maintain it with the games that we’ve got coming up.
“Every away game we play people will be thinking the record goes this time.
“But we’ve not changed our approach on our travels and we won’t do at Brighton.
“It’s going to be a real difficult test for us, so come 5pm on Saturday if we’ve kept that run going we’ll be delighted.”
BRIGHTON assist king Pascal Gross is watching Kevin De Bruyne to get even better.
The German has 14 assists since Albion were promoted to the top flight, twice as many as any other Brighton player, and three so far this season.
He has created 32 chances in 79 appearances which compares well to fellow German Mesut Ozil, who has 64 in 174 games for Arsenal.
But it is Manchester City’s De Bruyne who inspires Gross the most as he prepares to face Sheffield
United today at the
Amex.
“I can learn from a lot of players, but if I had to pick one it would be De Bruyne,” added Gross (inset).
“The way he plays, the way he picks a pass. He’s the midfielder who creates the most chances.
“For me, he is by far the best midfielder in the league, and probably you can argue the best player in the league, too.
“I can learn a lot from him because he plays at the highest level, every week or every three days.”
Gross is often glued to his TV, watching De Bruyne and analysing his performances.
“I watch a lot of games and when City play he’s on the ball a lot, so there’s plenty to look at,” said Gross.
“I watch his passing, how he crosses the ball and the positions he takes up.”