Blades’ relief as Brewster finally comes to the boil
LIVERPOOL are never likely to invoke the £40million buy-back on Rhian Brewster, but the striker is at long last starting to pay back some of the club-record fee Sheffield United invested in him.
At £23.5m, the 21-year-old was not bought to score goals against Bristol City. His first start at Bramall Lane was against Manchester City in the Premier League. But only now, more than a year on, has Brewster netted a league goal in South Yorkshire, at the 18th attempt.
It would be wrong to call it a revival, because he never got going in the first place. His failure to score last term saw the Blades relegated.
In recent weeks, though, with two goals in three games, Brewster has started to look like the player who Liverpool were clearly mindful he might one day become. Nowhere near £40m worth, mind.
The England Under 21 frontman departed here midway through the second half having felt a hamstring and it will be a shame should that stymie his momentum, especially given the affection in which he is held by new boss Paul Heckingbottom.
He was interim manager when the Blades went down last season but was this week installed permanently, replacing the sacked Slavisa Jokanovic. And Heckingbottom said: ‘Rhian is a great kid. Everyone likes him and wants him to do well. But he knows he will be pushed. The only thing that spoils a good day could be his injury.’
There was a far more serious head injury suffered by City defender Nathan Baker early in the second half. He received treatment for 10 minutes before being carried to an ambulance wearing a neck brace.
Bristol City boss Nigel Pearson said: ‘Nathan has gone to hospital to be checked over. We don’t know more than that right now.’ The Blades’ win lifts them to 13th and six points off the playoff places, and Heckingbottom said: ‘We are three points closer to the top — that is the target.’
The new man received a warm reception on a cold day. Snow began to fall after half an hour and a yellow ball was substituted on — sparking a period of illumination for the hosts.
Heckingbottom’s call to revert to a three-man defence — liberating wing backs Jayden Bogle and Enda Stevens — restored the threat from wide that was characteristic of their better days in the Premier League.
Indeed, their best attempt at goal during a cagey opening was a Bogle header from a Stevens cross that looped wide. Finally, on 40 minutes, they fashioned an effort on target, and with it came the opener. It was no surprise to see Stevens lay on the chance for Brewster. But what came as a shock was the composure with which the scorer spun and buried his strike into the corner. It all looked so natural.
Brewster’s replacement was Billy Sharp, and how fitting it was that the first win of a new era was sealed by the old boy.
The 35-year-old showed the hunger of a teen to throw his frame at David McGoldrick’s cross and turn in at the far post one minute from time. It was brave, too, given goalkeeper Daniel Bentley was all studs and gloves as he dived in.
It said much that, while Sharp celebrated, Bentley lay in a heap. The Blades will need more of that desire if they are to rescue what’s been a sorry season.