On-song Mousset silences the West Ham taunters

Lys Mousset proved Sheffield United’s saviour for the second time in a week, and silenced those West Ham United fans wearing Carlos Tevez face masks.

The build-up to Sheffield’s visit revived memories of the wrangle between the two clubs in 2007 when West Ham avoided a points deduction for breaching third-party ownership rules when they signed Tevez and Javier Mascherano. Tevez’s goals in the run-in helped West Ham escape relegation at the Yorkshire club’s expense.

It will take more than a point to erase the sense of injustice still felt by some at Bramall Lane about the affair, but Mousset’s 69th-minute equaliser that cancelled out Robert Snodgrass’s 44thminute opening goal ensured Chris Wilder’s side derived a measure of satisfaction from the first league meeting between the two clubs since.

Mousset, signed from Bournemouth for £10 million, had been dropped to the bench despite his winner against Arsenal on Monday. Within six minutes of being introduced, he had struck again, finishing with a first-time shot after West Ham failed to clear George Baldock’s cross, preserving his side’s unbeaten away record since returning to the Premier League.

“He is still not up to speed and a lot was taken out of him on Monday, not just physically but psychologically too,” said the Sheffield United manager. “It can be the easy thing to keep the right team but I didn’t think it was the right thing to do. For him to come on is great for him. He looked a threat. He is difficult to play against and I’m delighted he finished that opportunity.”

Wilder had made it clear he was keen to move on from the past troubles between the two clubs and, having seen his side silence the first half chants of ‘there’s only one Carlos Tevez’, could be satisfied.

“I said last week the reaction of both sets of fans would be the same if the situations were reversed,” he said. “But I don’t want to dwell on the past, the Tevez stuff is a while ago now. I want us to create new memories for the younger fans – and those who have watched the club through thin and thin.”

Manuel Pellegrini also changed his team with Snodgrass responding well after being recalled as the West Ham manager reacted to back-to-back defeats by making five changes.

Snodgrass took his goal well after Andriy Yarmolenko had set him up from a long Roberto clearance. He could even have won it in the second half but struck a post.

“We are disappointed to have dropped points at home after taking the lead,” said Pellegrini. “We created options to win the game but from these options you must score. It is not easy to create chances against Sheffield

United, they defend very well.”