SWANS IN STUNNING COMEBACK
GRAHAM Potter’s reign got off to a winning start as Yan Dhanda netted the winner with his first touch in a Swansea City shirt to secure victory at Bramall Lane.
The Swans had looked set to start their first Championship campaign in eight years with a defeat after they fell behind to a George Baldock strike just beyond the hour mark.
But Potter’s side kept battling and got their reward when McBurnie finished from close-range with 18 minutes to play.
And 19-year-old Dhanda, on the field for merely seconds, gave them the win as the referee played advantage for a foul on Barrie McKay in the area and the ex-Liverpool man fired home.
Potter had spoken before the game of the need for his players to show resilience and there can be no doubting they delivered on that score, particularly in how they responded to going behind.
There is, of course, much work to be done – not least in the remaining days of the transfer window – and one Swallow does not make a summer but this result will have done manager and squad all manner of good in terms of confidence and belief as the club seek to rebuild.
There was also considerable encouragement in the displays of new signings Bersant Celina, Barrie McKay, Joel Asoro and Dhanda, all of whom enjoyed bright debuts and hinted at what they can offer once fully integrated into this side and the style Potter hopes to establish.
Unsurprisingly Swansea had their hands full during the early going as United pressed them and out them under duress.
But once they began to settle they showed a potential to cause issues on the counter-attack as McKay and Asoro made early inroads against a home side pushing their wing-backs high and wide.
Indeed there were moments Swansea could have made more of with more composure and accuracy, although they were on the back foot more often than not, with Connor Roberts making one crucial clearance as Leon Clarke threatened.
The home crowd grew frustrated as they struggled to break Swansea down and Kristoffer Nordfeldt had very little to do in a game that was very much at stalemate for the majority of the opening half.
A couple of moments of alarm were self-inflicted with Federico Fernandez and Martin Olsson playing their side into trouble, although the Argentinian made some amends with brave defending earning him a boot to the head from Enda Stephens, before he blocked a David McGoldrick strike after Jay Fulton had been robbed.
However, he did survive a minor scare when Chris Basham threw himself to the ground in the area, but referee Jeremy Simpson was - correctly - having none of it.
Swansea then spurned two great chances either side of the break, Asoro handling from an Olsson cross as Dean Henderson saved, before McKay got his feet in a muddle after intercepting a loose pass and bursting clear.
McKay went on another run but passed up the chance to shoot and Asoro was crowded out.
United passed up opportunities of their own, McGoldrick and John Lundstram firing wide after Swansea had been caught on the ball.
But there would be no third let off in the 62nd minute as the Blades worked some room down the left and Baldock converted a low effort from the cut-back.
So often last season that would have been the end of that, but Swansea responded superbly. Fulton’s header was tipped over by Henderson before some lovely interplay down the right ended with the keeper again parrying, but McBurnie was there to slot home his first league goal for Swansea.
The visitors kept coming, Jefferson Montero causing all manner of trouble down his flank as the game became stretched.
McKay rattled the bar with a superb volley, before that man Dhanda had his fairytale moment.
There was still time for one moment of panic, with Nordfeldt adjusting brilliantly to tip wide after a cross had come off Roberts.